Devil May Cry: A Day in the Life of Dante
by Rebeldynasty
Summary: This is a collection of one-shot word prompts. It focuses on DMC3, DMC4, and the anime (though there will be references to DMC 1 as well). The main focus is on Dante, and his interactions with the other DMC characters, based on the respective chapter titles. Mostly humour, but some hurt/comfort themes as well. Please R&R. :)
1. Chapter 1: Love

**Hi there, all! I've been on a major Devil May Cry kick (on-going for six months, though I've loved the series for about four years) so I thought I'd do a series of one-shot word prompts. Each chapter will focus on Dante's relationship and interactions with the other characters, based on the chapter title. This chapter revolves around Mission 9 in the anime, "Death Poker".**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Devil May Cry, nor the characters. They are the property of Capcom. This fanfic is non-profit, and purely for entertainment purposes.**

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_**Love**_

"Patty, no!"

Dante dove across the room, and seized Ebony from Patty's hands, the crack of gunfire echoing throughout _Devil May Cry. _The bullet had grazed his right shoulder, but the renowned devil hunter had experienced _much_ worse. The blonde ten-year-old collapsed in his arms, her face pale and damp with perspiration. Her eyes fluttered, but they did not open.

"What the hell just happened?" Lady exclaimed, standing right behind the red-clad half-demon. Dante turned, his icy blue eyes meeting Lady's mismatched ones. Patty was cradled in his arms, unconscious. The intensity of his stare, as he tossed the gold pocket watch to her, was all Lady needed.

"So, she was possessed..." she muttered, watching as Dante carried Patty over to the couch. He gingerly laid her down on it, and proceeded to wrap his long red coat around her. Though she was sweating, she was ice cold to the touch.

He exchanged a worried glance with Lady, and grabbed his desk chair. He dragged it over to the couch, and sat down. His eyes were fixated on the young girl, but the dangerous glint in them didn't go unnoticed by the female devil hunter standing by his side.

"Dante?" Lady asked tentatively. It was seldom that Dante was so serious, and so, she felt now was not a good time for her usual teasing of him. She laid a comforting hand on his shoulder, the devil hunter reaching up to squeeze it in return.

"We're going on a little cruise." He finally said, his eyes never leaving Patty's ashen face.

"So, you're accepting King's invitation, then? This could get ugly..." Lady sighed. "What's your plan of attack?" She removed her hand from his grasp, placing it on her hip as she shifted her stance.

"What else?" He replied, a humourless smirk upon his lips, "I'm taking this bastard down. Patty could have died because of that asshole's 'invitation'. He'll get what's coming to him."

"So the legendary devil hunter has a soft spot..." Lady smirked, Dante finally looking at her.

"Well, don't go spreading it around. I have a rep to uphold, y'know." He chuckled darkly, his gaze falling on Patty once again.

'Your secret's safe with me," Lady shrugged, "but if we want to get this guy, we need a better plan, then to just go in, guns blazing."

Dante exhaled slowly. Lady was right. If they wanted to put an end to the devil's reign, they needed to proceed with caution. Rumour had it that the demon took the lives of those who lost at poker. The fact that the arrogant bastard had sent _Dante_ an invitation only proved to further aggravate the silvery white-haired son of Sparda. Anyone who knew him knew he was terrible, when it came to gambling.

But to have said invitation fall into Patty's hands? That was the final straw…

He should have known better. He should have kept a better eye on the pocket watch. What if Patty had-

No. He wasn't going to entertain the thought. Ever since meeting the orphaned girl, Dante had made it his primary objective to protect her. Sure, she could be a down-right pain in the ass at times...but she was just a kid; just a little girl, with a heart that was every bit as big as her mouth. No matter how many times she was mad at him, Dante knew she liked being around him. After all, why else would she come to the shop every chance she had?

And not that he would ever admit it out loud, but he liked having her company, as well. Despite all the bickering, he'd grown rather fond of her. If he could have had a little sister, Patty would be it.

"Dante? Hey, are you even listening to me?" Dante gave a start, breaking free of his reverie. Had Lady been talking to him all this time?

He looked at her, flashing an apologetic grin. Surprisingly, she didn't look miffed that he hadn't been paying attention to her. Her gaze softened, her eyes flicking between the devil hunter and the unconscious girl.

"I'm going to the library, okay? We need to know as much about this demon as possible. I'll be back in a few hours." she patted her hip, secure in the knowledge that her weapons were close at hand, along with Kalina-Ann strapped to her back. "Call me, if anything changes."

Dante didn't need to ask what she meant; Lady was just as concerned about the orphaned girl as he was. Giving her a casual wave with a gloved hand, he scooted closer to Patty. The sound of Lady's foot falls receded, a shaft of light falling over him and Patty as the door opened, and disappearing as it swung closed.

"Don't worry, Patty." Dante whispered, stroking the girl's cheek gently. "We'll get this devil. I'll pay him back, for what he's done to you."

For now though, he needed to keep a vigilant watch over her. If her condition worsened, he would call Morrison and the orphanage. At this moment, he trusted no one else to take care of her. After all, it was his fault, for not keeping a sharper eye on her and the watch.

He swallowed, his throat feeling tight and dry. A pit formed in his stomach, burning uncomfortably.

He stood then, snorting in disgust at himself; if he was going to take care of her, he needed to do more than hover over her like a mother hen. Taking quick, long strides, he bolted up the stairs, and went into his room. After rummaging through a few drawers, he came across clean wash cloths. Grabbing one, he headed back down stairs, and ran it under cold water from the bathroom faucet. Wringing it out, he returned to Patty's side, and placed the cloth upon her forehead.

The girl moaned. Her cheeks twitched, no doubt from the sensation of the cold cloth, Dante figured. He sat down, making sure his coat was fully covering her small body.

She let out another moan, and rolled onto her side, curling up tightly.

"Hang in there, Patty." Dante murmured, caressing her cheek once again, "You'll be alright."

He gritted his teeth then, the glint returning to his eyes. _And when you are, we'll go after that sorry son of a bitch, and make him pay for this…_


	2. Chapter 2: Heaven and Hell

**Hello again, all! This chapter focuses on Dante's musings about his vocation in life, his lineage, and his familial connections. I hope you enjoy.**

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_**Heaven and Hell**_

It was a quiet day in the Devil May Cry office. A sole occupant sat in a high-backed chair, his booted feet propped up on the large wooden desk in front of him. A magazine rested over his face, his eyes closed, though he wasn't sleeping.

The legendary devil hunter was musing over the course of his life. It wasn't often that Dante engaged in deep contemplation, but when he did, his thoughts wandered to his brother.

It had been eight years since he had battled Vergil. Eight years, since he reached out to his falling twin, trying to save him from a fate worse than death; living in the Underworld. The Underworld was crawling with demons who sought revenge against the Legendary Dark Knight, Sparda, who had betrayed demon kind to protect mankind. Sparda, who had been their father, and whom was presumed dead.

Dante removed the magazine from his face, throwing it on to the corner of his desk. Lifting his feet from his desk, he let the front legs of his chair hit the floor, a dull _thud_ the only sound in the otherwise quiet agency.

Letting out a shaky breath, Dante propped his elbows up on the desk, resting his head in his hands.

No, that hadn't been the last time he'd seen Vergil. The last time was when he faced him as Nelo Angelo, a servant of the Demon Lord, Mundus. Of course, he hadn't known it was his brother at the time. It was only after he'd finished Mundus off that it had come crashing down on him.

Dante sighed. What good did it do, dredging up history like this? The emotions cascaded over him, suffocating him.

No matter what he did, he couldn't escape his lineage; he was half human, and half demon. He couldn't change that, and had made peace with his demonic heritage. After all, Sparda had loved his mother, Eva. Sparda had lifted his sword against his brethren, to protect humanity, the species he had become rather fond of.

Dante still held contempt for his father…mostly because he had left Eva alone with him and Vergil. But, perhaps he hadn't meant to abandon them.

There was still no certainty when Sparda had died, or if he had, at all. Dante rubbed a gloved hand over his face, exhaling through his nose.

Yes, he had made peace with his demonic blood, because like his father, he protected humanity from the evil demons. Unlike Vergil, he hadn't sought to use his demonic power to overthrow anyone…but looking back, he knew Vergil's path had been paved by their suffering. Though his somewhat stuffy twin had hated his human side, he had loved their mother dearly. When she died, they both took it very hard-but Vergil took it harder. At the time, Dante believed both his mother and twin to be dead, having been separated. It hurt him greatly, but he moved forward on to his own path. Vergil however, had been right by her side when it happened, and did not leave her side until long after. From that point on, he was completely and utterly alone.

Guilt roiled through Dante's stomach then. He hadn't meant to, but he had abandoned his elder twin, when he most needed someone. Maybe if he had tried to find Vergil, maybe if he'd succeeded, things wouldn't have wound up the way they had…

"Damn it." The white-haired man muttered under his breath. Was this his fate, then? To forever remain in a perpetual state of Heaven and Hell? Both blessed and cursed by his joined bloodlines, destined to defend mankind against the supernatural threats that lurked around every dark corner, within each dark soul?

Just then, the double doors to his shop opened, and in strode a beautiful, busty blonde. She wore a black corset, along with tight leather pants and knee-high boots. Her sapphire eyes meeting Dante's pale blue ones, her warm smile of greeting instantly faded, as she recognized his pained expression.

Without a word passed between them, she walked over to him, kneeling beside his chair, resting her head upon his shoulder. The demoness put a comforting hand on his arm, squeezing it lightly.

Dante closed his eyes, breathing her floral scent in. He grabbed her hand, pulling her into his lap. The blonde rested her chin atop his head, draping her arms over his shoulders, as he held her in his lap. He rested his head against her collarbone, listening to the rhythm of her heart.

His eyes opened slightly, and a small smile played upon his lips as Trish stroked his hair gently.

No, he couldn't change who or what he was; he couldn't change the past. But, he had much to live for, in the here and now. He had a vocation to protect the innocent, and he had good people-human and demon-in his life, to help him through it.

Heaven or Hell, he was Dante. This was his path, his choice.


	3. Chapter 3: Desperation

**Hello again! I figured I'd do three chapters all at once. This isn't the last one though, I promise. There's more to come. :) This chapter focuses on Dante and Nero. Please R&R.**

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_**Desperation**_

"Come on, old man. When have I asked you for anything?" Nero pleaded, a note of exasperation in his voice.

He was really starting to wonder why he had come to Dante, of all people. Was he really so desperate?

Letting out a weary sigh, he pinched the upper part of his nose. The answer was yes, he _was_ that desperate. He had considered asking Trish or Lady for help, but had quickly dismissed that thought. If he asked them, they might let it slip to Kyrie; that was something he couldn't let happen.

Then again, who was to say Dante wouldn't?

Dante chuckled, putting his feet back up on his desk, and crossing his arms over his chest. "I guess helping you take down Sanctus and all the demons that came flooding through the Hell Gates doesn't count, eh kid?"

"_I_ never asked for your help," Nero retorted, "_Lady _asked you to come to Fortuna."

Dante put his hands up in mock surrender, "Alright, you got me, there. But why come to me with this?" He quirked an eyebrow at the younger devil hunter, doing his best not to smirk at how flustered the kid was.

He couldn't lie to himself; he was having far too much fun, watching Nero struggle between his pride and his need for the elder hunter's help.

Nero met Dante's gaze, and he flushed. It was obvious with the way his jaw clenched, that he knew Dante was toying with him.

"Dante, I swear, if you're laughing at me, I'm gonna…" Nero, unable to complete his sentence, let his right arm do the talking. The Devil Bringer glowed an alarmingly bright blue, causing a sharp contrast to the reddish brown scales surrounding it.

Try as he might, Dante couldn't keep his mirth contained any longer. He burst out laughing, slapping the edge of his desk with one hand, wiping tears from his eyes with the other.

Nero let out a ferocious growl, lunging at the older devil hunter.

As he collided with Dante, the chair tipped backward, unable to support both their weight. With a resounding crash, the duo landed in a heap, Dante laughing even harder.

"Okay, kid…okay…" he tried to speak through his chuckles, but Nero either couldn't hear him, or ignored him.

He punched Dante square in the jaw, the older man sobering instantly.

He wiggled out from beneath the irate younger man, putting him in a headlock.

"Alright, we've had our fun, now knock it off, kid!" His voice was stern, his grip like iron.

At first, Nero tried to squirm out of his grasp, his Devil Bringer clawing at Dante's forearm. Realizing he couldn't get out, he went limp.

"That's better." Dante muttered, relinquishing his grip.

Nero stood quickly, glaring at the red-clad hunter, his teeth bared. "Will you help me, or not?" he snarled, both fists clenched at his sides.

"Not with that tone, I won't." Dante scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest, frowning.

"Jesus, old man! I came here asking for a simple favour from you, and instead of helping me out, you laugh in my face!"

"You need to lighten up, kid. I was just messin' with ya," Dante replied, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth, "and besides, attacking me isn't exactly motivation for me to give you my help."

"If you expect me to _beg_, you've got another thing coming." Nero snorted.

Dante pouted, feigning hurt. "Aw, c'mon kid. Give me a little more credit than that."

Nero took a deep breath, closing his eyes as he did so. Exhaling, he looked Dante straight in the eye. "Alright, I'm sorry." his voice was resigned, "what do you want me to do?"

"Just say please," Dante smirked, "it's not like it's going to kill ya."

"That's….it?" Nero faltered, a look of disbelief on his face.

"Yep."

"That's really it?"

"You catch on quickly, don't you, kid?"

"All I have to do, for you to help me pick out an engagement ring for Kyrie…is say _please?_"

"Why is that so hard to grasp?" Dante asked, his eyes alight with amusement.

"No…it's just…well, I figured, what with it being _you_, it would be something more." Nero rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment, his gaze dropping to his own boots.

"Hey," Dante exclaimed in mock indignation, "what do you mean, 'what with it being me'? If you're going to insult me kid, I'm not going to he-"

"No wait, that's not what I meant!" Nero said quickly, putting his palms up in surrender.

"Then what _did_ you mean?" Dante tried to cover his smirk with his hand, but it was unnecessary. Nero was too busy trying to get out of the hole he'd dug for himself. Yes, Dante really was having too much fun at the kid's expense. He'd make it up to him, though; not that Nero would ever really know, for certain, anyhow.

"I…I don't know what I meant," Nero replied, flustered, "I'm sorry, okay? Will you please help me?"

From the way he choked on those last words, Dante just knew it was killing the kid to ask him for help. And here he was, inwardly laughing at him. Only desperation could have made Nero come to him, and he knew it. Why else would the kid allow himself to be shamed like this?

Nero looked up at Dante, a mixture of resignation and pleading in his eyes.

Dante stroked his chin, pretending to think it over. "Well…"

After an agonizingly long minute and a half, he clapped his hands, rubbing them together enthusiastically. "Okay, kid. I'll help you. But don't get any ideas; I've got better things to do, than help your sorry ass out with every little thing."

Yeah, right.

"Oh, don't worry old man." Nero muttered under his breath, as they headed out the door. "I wouldn't dream of putting myself through this again."

"You say something, kid?" Dante looked back at him, as he got into the driver's seat of his convertible.

"Huh? No, nothing. Nothing at all." Nero said hurriedly, sliding into the passenger seat.

Dante smirked, turning the key in the ignition. The engine roared to life, and with the squealing of tires, they were off.

Dante chuckled under his breath. Desperation really was a powerful motivator.


	4. Chapter 4: Gluttony

**Hello again, all! This chapter will focus on Dante's eating habits, much to both the disgust and amusement of the company he keeps. I'll admit, I had a rough time with this one (despite it seeming so easy to cover). So please R&R, and tell me what you think.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Devil May Cry, Dante (though I wish I did) or any of the characters within. This fanfiction is non-profit, and for entertainment purposes, only.**

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_**Gluttony**_

"You're disgusting, Dante!" Patty wrinkled her nose, backing away from the white-haired man.

"How the _hell_ are you not overweight?" Lady asked, aghast.

"If he keeps eating like that, he soon will be." Nero chuckled, clapping the older devil hunter on the shoulder. "Right, old man? The metabolism has gotta be slowing down, by now. After all, you're not _young_ anymore."

Dante shovelled the rest of the pizza into his mouth, his eyes fixed on the younger, white-haired devil hunter. A mixture of menace and amusement lit those eyes, but Nero was far from afraid.

"You're a real laugh riot, _kid_." Dante replied, grinning as Nero's chuckles died, only to be replaced by a scowl. He hated when Dante called him that; a fact the elder devil hunter exploited at every opportunity.

"Don't change the subject," Lady interjected, shouldering Kalina-Ann, "how is it that you eat nothing but pizza all of the time, and yet, you haven't had a _single_ health complication?"

"Yeah, you'd figure at the very least, heart failure." Nero muttered, twirling Blue Rose around his finger absently, a smirk returning to his face. "The cheese alone should have blocked your arteries."

"I think you've all forgotten I'm half_ demon_, remember?" Dante pointed out as he began to dig into the strawberry sundae in front of him.

"What, does that mean you have some sort of super metabolism, or something?" Patty asked, swiping a finger full of ice cream from the side of the sundae dish.

Dante glared at her, but let the action slide. "In a manner of speaking, yes. Nero and Trish could eat like this, too, and not have anything to worry about, either."

Lady let out a pained groan. "It figures," she muttered, sitting on the edge of the desk, "I have to work to stay fit, and she can eat whatever she wants…"

"Yeah, but keep in mind Lady," Nero replied, "Trish _can _eat whatever she wants, but we both _choose _not to eat like complete pigs."

At this statement, Patty, Lady and Nero all looked pointedly at Dante. His spoon stopped part way to his mouth, as he stared back at them in bemusement.

After a beat, he put his spoon down. "What?"

The trio exchanged looks of amusement and resignation, and began to laugh. All the while, Dante just gaped at them, his frozen dessert forgotten.

"Dante, you really are a glutton." Patty giggled. Before he could respond, she swiped his sundae from right under his nose, and began eating it.

"Hey!" He exclaimed, standing. He made a grab for the ten-year-old, but she side-stepped him easily. She stared up at him, smiling around the spoon, her eyes challenging him.

Nero began to laugh. "Getting kind of slow, aren't you? Old age must be setting in."

Dante growled, piercing Nero with an icy stare. "Keep it up, kid, and you'll _never_ know what getting old is like."

Nero only chuckled, and he and Lady stood back, watching as Dante tried to save what was left of his sundae from Patty.

Knowing it was only a matter of time before she was in his grasp, Patty downed the rest of the sundae, letting out a triumphant _whoop!_

Dante stared at her in disbelief, as she handed the empty dish to him. Just as he was about to reprimand her, the young girl let out a groan, clapping both hands to her head.

"Aggh! Brain freeze…" she whined.

"Heh," Dante snickered, "that's what_ you_ get for being a glutton."

Patty looked up at him in disbelief, her mouth agape as her head shook back and forth slowly. Her gaze drifted over to Nero and Lady, the latter of whom was laughing into her hand.

"Did he just call _me_ a glutton?" she wondered aloud.

Nero only nodded, his expression as dumbfounded as hers.

Patty turned her gaze back to Dante, only to realize he was back at his desk-devouring _another _large pizza!

She whirled around, staring at both Lady and the white-haired youth, "You're seeing this, right?"

The three looked back over at Dante, who sat with his feet propped up on his desk, once again, chowing down on the pizza enthusiastically. Catching three sets of eyes on him once again, he stopped mid-bite. "What?"

The three only looked at each other once again, and burst out laughing.


	5. Chapter 5: Mystery

**Hi there! This chapter revolves around yet another Dante and Nero interaction. This time, the duo are trying to figure out what happened to the Red Queen, Nero's beloved weapon, while it was in Dante's care. I hope this is to everyone's liking.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Devil May Cry, or the characters within. This is purely for entertainment purposes, and is non-profit.**

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_**Mystery**_

"Dante!" a familiar voice roared from the opposite side of the Devil May Cry doors, before they were flung open with such force that they reverberated against the inside walls.

Dante didn't need to look up to see who it was, but he did anyway. Nero stormed through the double doors, his mismatched fists clenched at his sides, his teeth bared.

"Hey kid, come on in." Dante greeted, a little too cheerfully. He chalked his pool cue, his eyes never leaving the agitated youth's face.

Satisfied, he leaned across the pool table, lining up his shot. With a quick motion, he jerked the cue back, thrusting it forward with just enough momentum to send the cue ball crashing into the other balls.

Straightening, he looked at Nero once again. The former Knight of the Order of the Sword was grinding his teeth, his fists still at his sides, his face turning redder with each passing second.

Frowning, the elder hunter wracked his brain. What could he have done to set the kid off like this? Unable to come up with anything, he asked the question aloud, stepping out of the room before Nero could answer, to grab two cans of soda from the fridge.

Returning, he handed one to Nero, the kid hesitantly accepting it.

_Well, at least he doesn't look _as_ pissed off. _Dante mused, popping the tab on his own soda, and took a long gulp.

Nero continued to stare at Dante, his eyes gleaming dangerously. When he failed to answer the elder hunter, Dante cleared his throat. "So, I'll ask again; what have I done to set you off, kid?" he asked, swiping a hand over his mouth.

"Don't play dumb with me, old man." Nero grumbled. He took a swig of his own soda, his blue eyes narrowing suspiciously at the bewilderment on Dante's face.

The elder devil hunter scratched the stubble on his chin, a look of concentration on his face, his eyes glazing over as he mulled the endless possibilities.

Had he accidentally let it slip to Kyrie about their boys' night, when Nero lost fifty bucks to him during a game of poker?

_Nah, it can't be that. _He mentally shook his head, taking another sip from the can. _I might not win at poker often, but I wouldn't have bragged about it…other than to the kid, himself, of course._

Dante smirked at this thought_._ Nero had been beside himself when Dante had won. At first, he cursed at the son of Sparda. When the initial disbelief and anger wore off, panic had set in. He practically _begged_ Dante not to tell Kyrie. After tormenting the kid for half an hour or so, he promised he wouldn't breathe a word of it to her. Remembering how Nero nearly wept with relief caused him to chuckle out loud.

Hearing this, Nero got the wrong impression. "So you _did_ do it!" he ground out savagely, getting dangerously close to the older man.

Dante shook his head in confusion, "What? No kid," he put his hands up in an effort to ward him off, "I swear, I don't know what you're talking about."

"Then why did you just laugh?" Nero slowed his approach, but the elder hunter backed into his desk, just the same. There was no mistaking the dangerous edge in the kid's voice.

"I was just remembering something else, that's all." Dante waved a hand dismissively, crumpling his now empty can, and tossing it into the bin next to his desk.

Nero snorted, as though he didn't believe him.

Dante sighed, beginning to feel exasperated. "Look kid, I'm really not into guessing games," he flopped down into his chair, propping his feet up on the desk's edge, "so if you'd kindly get to the point, I'd be much obliged."

Nero grabbed his sword, the Red Queen, from his back, thrusting it beneath Dante's nose. At first, he gave a start, thinking the kid had officially gone off his rocker. After blinking a few times, he realized Nero was holding it out not in a threatening matter, but for Dante to inspect it. Glancing warily at the hot-headed youth, Dante gingerly took the blade from Nero's grasp, his eyes coming to rest where the hilt and the blade met.

Eyes widening in shock, the elder let out a surprised guffaw. He handed the sword back to Nero, slapping a hand on his desk with a chuckle. All the while, Nero rigidly stood, his eyes narrowing to dangerous slits.

Once he'd regained his composure, Dante only shook his head in amusement. "I know what you're thinking kid, but I swear on Rebellion, I didn't do it."

Nero eyed Dante skeptically, absently rubbing a thumb over Red Queen's side. Seeing no trace of deception on the white-haired man's face, he let out an exasperated sigh. "Okay," he conceded, "if not you, who the heck else would deface her?"

Dante shrugged. "How should I know, kid?"

"It was in _your_ shop when it happened," Nero flared up again, his Devil Bringer glowing a dangerous hue, "that means it's your responsibility!"

Dante snorted, "It's your sword, kid. That makes it your responsibility, _regardless_ of where you leave it."

Nero glared daggers at the older man, "It was only in your shop because you told me you could repair the chipping in the blade!" he said haughtily.

Dante exhaled through his nose slowly. "Okay, kid. You've got a point. While it was in my care, it was my responsibility." he leaned back in his chair, balancing on the rear legs as he propped his feet up. "It doesn't change the fact that I don't know how that happened, kid. The only other people that have been in my shop since are Lady and Pa-"

The elder hunter faltered then, Nero glancing at him questioningly. "Patty?" He finished for him, an eyebrow cocked in disbelief.

"Well, yeah." Dante murmured, shaking his head dismissively. "But there's no way either of them would have done that. Lady has too much respect for weapons to do that, and Patty…" He trailed off again, a frown on his face. Would the ten-year-old have done something like this?

"I don't know old man." Nero looked at the crude engraving on the sword again, shaking his head. "She's a good kid; I doubt she'd do this to my sword…she's never said a bad word against me."

Dante chuckled, "True, but then again, you've never been on the receiving end when she's in a bad mood. I on the other hand, have."

Both stumped, Nero calmed down considerably. "Well, I guess there's nothing for it, old man," He put the blade on Dante's desk, "you'll just have to fix it for me, again."

Dante made a sound of protest in the back of his throat, throwing his hands up. "Hey, why do I have to fix it?"

"Because regardless of _how_ it happened, I don't want 'Nancy boy' on Red Queen for as long as I live."

Dante snickered under his breath, only stopping at the menacing glare he received from Nero. Blowing into his bangs, Dante resigned himself to his fate. "Alright kid, I'll fix 'er up again. As soon as I'm done, I'll give you a call."

Nero nodded his thanks, and without another word, strode out of the _Devil May Cry_ office.

After a moment, Dante shook his head. _How did that get engraved into the sword, anyway?_

"Well," he said aloud, standing up and carrying the sword over to his make-shift metalworking bench, "guess I'd better get started."

As he set to work on repairing the blade, Dante could swear he heard a sinister chuckle coming from the opposite wall, where all his weapons and trophies hung. Frowning, he stopped. The chuckling continued, and Dante let out a frustrated growl. "Of course…" He muttered under his breath, setting back to work.

He should have known; it figured that one of the devils he kept restrained in his office would run amok under the cover of night.

"I have _got_ to get Trish to help me set proper wards up in this place…"


	6. Chapter 6: Steadfast

**Hello once again! This chapter focuses on Patty and Dante, and his determination to guard the innocents he has taken under his protection; in this case, in the form of a certain blonde ten-year-old. This takes place at any point during the anime series, but clearly before his final mission against Sid (in the guise of Abigail). I hope you enjoy it. Please read and review. :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Devil May Cry, or its characters (much to my chagrin). They belong to Capcom. This is purely fan-made, non-profit, and for entertainment only.**

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_**Steadfast**_

Dante felt it long before he saw it; a horde of demons, descending upon Fredi's Restaurant from all sides.

With an exasperated sigh, he dropped his spoon into the sundae dish with a _clank_, his eyes flitting to the setting sun on the other side of the glass.

"Dante?" Patty's voice brought the devil hunter's gaze to her pale, freckled face. Her eyes were wide, as she looked passed his shoulder.

"I know," he huffed, grabbing her hand as he slid out of the booth, "time to go to work."

Pulling her close to him, he shouted to Fredi to lock the door as he dashed out of it. The restaurant proprietor glanced up in confusion, but upon seeing the horde of monsters, hastily did as he was told, and dove into the back room, grabbing Cindi the waitress, on the way.

Once outside, Dante ran half a block down, pulling Patty along behind him. The young girl panted, doing her best to keep pace.

Stopping at the street's corner, he unzipped the guitar case, pulling Rebellion out with a flourish. With the sun setting, the demons were emboldened. Dante's gaze darted around the street; fortunately, no one seemed to be out and about.

_Good. It just makes my job that much easier._ He thought to himself, holding his sword in front of him with both hands.

"Patty, stay behind me. Got it?" His eyes were focused on the demons in front of him, but he felt Patty behind him, safely wedged between him and the convenience store.

"Okay…" he heard the girl reply softly. No matter how many times she'd seen him in action, she was still terrified.

Taking a few cautious steps away from her, he held his sword back, infusing it with his demonic energy. With a roar, he swept the blade forward, unleashing a powerful shockwave that scattered the demons hither and tither.

Not giving them a chance to recuperate, he dashed forward, thrusting his sword into the nearest one. It was a quadruped, slightly resembling a cat, except for the large horizontal mandibles it clacked menacingly at the demon slayer. As Rebellion pierced its thick, scaly body, it let out a bloodcurdling shriek. Dante gritted his teeth, forcing the blade deeper, and with a grunt, pulled upward, slicing the demon's body in half. Bodily fluids oozed and gushed, spraying in every direction, coating most of Dante's apparel.

Wasting no time, he flicked his sword, sending a cascade of blood down onto the street, and rushed into the mass of demons to his right. A couple of them resembled the cat-like demon he'd just laid to waste; a few Mega Scarecrows dotted the horde, along with several small arachnid types that reminded him of Phantom.

Hacking and slashing through the crowd, he whirled around gracefully, and jumped over the remaining group. Grabbing at his left hip, he pulled Ebony from its holster, pulling the trigger of the pistol rapidly, unleashing a salvo that hit every one of his targets.

A cacophony of demonic cries met his ears, fuelling his battle lust all the more. With a wry grin, he whirled around, his eyes falling on his next victims. Putting Rebellion on his back, he rushed forward, grabbing Ivory from his right hip, and leapt into the air. While in an upside down flip, he levelled his gaze on the two demons below him, and took aim with his trusty pistols. Firing round after round, the bullets pierced the thick demon hides, blackened blood spurting from their open wounds. Landing lithely on his feet, he crossed both pistols in front of his mouth, blowing the smoke from their barrels. The demons disappeared in a puff of black steam.

Before Dante could as much as let out a self-satisfied chuckle, he heard a scream to his left. A large six-legged demon with greenish-blue feathers covering its body had Patty pinned beneath it. Saliva dripped from small, sharp teeth within its black beak, which hovered ever closer to the frightened girl's face.

Letting out a savage roar, Dante rushed forward, jumping into the air. Twisting his body, he hit the demon, feet-first. The creature crashed through a boutique window, the sound of shattering glass echoing up and down the deserted street. It cascaded all around Patty, who was curled into the fetal position, her eyes shut tightly. Dante landed over her, pulling his coat over top of them both to protect her from the sharp glass.

When the last piece of glass hit the pavement, Patty looked up at Dante, a wide grin of relief etched into her young features. Dante returned the smile and ruffled her hair affectionately, before leaping to his feet again.

Sliding a glance toward the broken window, he caught a glimpse of the demon's solitary red eye, glaring back at him. Evidently, the crash through the window had wounded its other eye. With an enraged shriek, the demon launched itself at the devil hunter, its leathery wings beating ferociously as it grabbed Patty with its hind talons. It soared upward, the girl dangling upside down, screaming with absolute terror.

"DANTE!" She wailed, her arms flailing, as the wind whipped around her. Fortunately for her, she had opted to wear slacks today, instead of her usual array of frilly dresses.

Even more fortunate for her, Dante was a sure shot. Grabbing Rebellion, he threw the claymore with all his strength, the blade meeting its mark. It pierced the heart of the demon. With an agonized shriek, the devil dropped Patty, the girl wailing as she fell.

Dante ran forward, catching her in his outstretch arms. Whirling her around, he placed her steadily on her feet, and called Rebellion back to his right hand. Despite hitting its heart, the demon wasn't through yet. It crash landed mere feet from the devil hunter and child, sending small chunks of concrete spraying all around them.

It lay in the crater it had made, its remaining eye half closed. Taking this opportunity, Dante levelled Ebony at the creature's head, and pulled the trigger, one, two, three times, the sharp ring of the gun shots near deafening.

As the body evaporated, Dante was surprised by a half-hug, half tackle to his midsection. Looking down, he saw Patty bury her face in his stomach. Her body shook with silent sobs, causing the half-demon's gaze to soften. Putting Ebony and Rebellion away, he gently put his hands on her shoulders, squeezing them reassuringly. Reacting to his subtle message to let it all out, she buried her face even deeper, if it were possible. Dante winced slightly, but he didn't pull away from her.

Once her sobs calmed down to hiccups, he gently pushed her away, and knelt in front of her.

"Hey there," he murmured, "you're okay, now."

Swiping at her sapphire blue eyes, Patty sniffed and nodded.

Dante smiled down at her warmly, "I'll never let anything hurt you, Patty. I promise."

Overcome with emotion, Patty leapt into his arms, hugging him tightly. The red-clad half devil returned the embrace, grinning. Patty could be a real pain in the ass at times, but at times like this, it was all worth it.

After a moment, the duo disengaged from one another, a slight blush on Patty's cheeks.

Sensing her embarrassment, Dante winked at her playfully, "What d'ya say, little lady," he drawled, taking her by the hand, "after all that, I've worked up quite an appetite. How about we get some pizza?"

Instantly, Patty's face went from gratitude to utter disgust. "Pizza…_again?_"

Chuckling to himself, he led the way, Patty's small hand still in his. Now this was his Patty; indignant and haughty.

Patty only shook her head, a small smile gracing her face. She might complain about Dante's eating habits, but she could never complain about his impressive strength and skill in battle.

After all, without him, where would she be right now?

As they walked, the light faded, causing the street lights to flicker to life.

"You know what," Patty broke the silence, "you're right. I'm hungry, too. Pizza it is; my treat."

Dante stopped, and stared down at the girl in bewilderment. "Who are you, and what have you done with Patty Lowell?"

Giving him a sly smile, Patty only shrugged, and continued walking. "You coming, or what?" She called back over her shoulder.

Dante closed his eyes, sighing. With a smirk, he followed her.

_After all, who am I to look a gift horse in the mouth? _He mused, a mischievous glint in his eyes, _I may as well milk it while I can. Nice Patty won't last forever._

"Right behind you, brat." He replied.

As expected, the ten-year-old whirled around, a look of fury lighting her eyes. "Don't call me that," she snapped, "you're such a jerk, Dante! You know what? Pay for your _own_ pizza."

She continued to grumble under her breath, Dante hot on her heels, chuckling. "Aw c'mon kid. You know I didn't mean it."

_Me and my big mouth._ He thought ruefully.

Patty snorted in response. "Yeah, right. You only say that because you're losing out on free pizza." She _humphed_, crossing her arms and turning her nose up, her eyes closed.

Dante raised his hands in mock surrender, "C'mon Patty, you know it's just a nick-name. Can you really be mad at a handsome devil such as me?"

Patty cracked one eye open, taking in Dante's ridiculously sheepish façade. Relaxing her stance, she grinned back at him. "Well, it's not much of an apology, but it will have to do. Alright, I'll buy you pizza, but don't get a big head over it, or anything!"

"Wouldn't dream of it." Dante laughed, and the two entered the pizzeria.

Dante knew the girl would die before admitting it, but she wouldn't have withheld pizza from him; not after he'd just saved her rear-end, for the umpteenth time.

The devil hunter didn't quite get it, himself, but he supposed others held him in higher esteem than he believed he deserved. He played the confident, smug part really well, but what it really boiled down to was? Dante was just Dante; half human, half demon, it didn't matter to him. All he cared was that innocent lives didn't fall prey to the evil forces lurking all around them.

For this end to be met, he would risk life and limb.

No, Dante would never understand it, but that steadfast loyalty is _exactly_ what called others to him…


	7. Chapter 7: Friendship

**Greetings! I seem to have a fire lit under me, because I can't seem to stop writing for this. :)**

**First of all, I want to thank whomever has been giving me the anonymous reviews so far. I'm glad you're enjoying this, and I welcome you to give me full, honest reviews. :) It's nice to see my writing is being appreciated, as rusty as it may be. ^^;**

**Anyway, without further ado...this chapter focuses on friendship; particularly the bonds between Dante, Trish, and a wounded Lady. Please R&R.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Devil May Cry, or its characters. They are the property of Capcom. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes, only.**

* * *

_**Friendship**_

The moment the double doors opened, Dante leapt from his chair, and rushed over to help Trish with her burden.

Three hours prior, the demoness had left the _Devil May Cry_ building in search of Lady. The human demon hunter had failed to check back in with her and Dante as she had promised to do so. Becoming worried, the duo agreed that Trish would go out and search Lady's usual haunts, and Dante would remain in the office, awaiting her call, or for Lady to come through the doors. Of course if she _had_, Dante would be giving her a serious talking to, making him and Trish worry like this!

Those three hours had not been kind to Dante; his mind wandered over all sorts of possibilities-and none of them were pleasant. Despite knowing Lady was a formidable warrior, he couldn't help worrying. Not because she was human, or even female; no, he knew far better than that. If he had ever entertained the thought, Lady would be sure to help him be rid of it…with a very precise shot to the head.

No, the legendary devil hunter was worried because, as things currently were, it was possible Lady had come up against a foe she wasn't prepared for. Demon activity had been at an all-time high as of late, and many of them had even caused Dante to break into a sweat. These weren't your run-of-the-mill lower class demons; these were much stronger, though not quite at the level of Demon Lords.

Whatever was going on in the Underworld-most likely another power struggle-it was spilling over into the human world. _Again._

Shaking himself, Dante took Lady gently from Trish's arms, and carried her over to the sofa. Laying her on it, he inspected her thoroughly. The dark-haired woman was riddled with scratches, bruises, and deep gashes. Dante bit the inside of his cheek to prevent himself from flying into a rage.

Exchanging a look with Trish, whom looked every bit as livid as he felt, he took several deep, calming breaths.

"Where was she? Did you see who did this to her?" He asked, stepping over to his desk, and began rummaging through the drawers, pulling out a first aid kit.

"I found her in the alley behind the library downtown," Trish answered, grabbing the kit from him, "as to who did this, I don't know. Whoever it was long gone by the time I found her."

The voluptuous blonde headed over to her fallen comrade, Dante leaving her side momentarily in search of a wash cloth, along with a needle and thread. Once he found what he was looking for, he decided to grab some pain killers from the medicine cabinet. Lady would need stitches, but he wanted her to be as comfortable as humanly possible; she'd already suffered enough, by the looks of things.

With the necessary equipment in hand, he headed back over to the sofa, where Trish had already set to work on bandaging Lady's minor wounds.

"Fortunately, she hasn't lost a lot of blood," Trish commented, wrapping the gauze around Lady's upper thigh, "I was able to heal a few of her more serious wounds, but I didn't have enough energy to do all of it." She looked up at Dante apologetically, her eyes wide with sadness.

Dante placed a hand gently on Trish's shoulder, letting her know she wasn't to blame. Without another word passed between them, the devil hunter set to work. Kneeling next to Lady's still form, he threaded the needle, and began stitching up a large gash on her right shin.

Lady moaned, stiffening. "Shit…" Dante muttered under his breath. He stopped what he was doing, and put the cold cloth on Lady's forehead. The heterochromatic eyes fluttered open, and she attempted to sit up.

Hit with what was presumably nausea, she slumped backward, Trish grabbing hold of her to keep her from falling back too quickly. Lady put a hand to her head, breathing shallowly.

"What…what happened?" she stammered, looking between her blonde friend and the half devil.

"Trish found you unconscious behind the library," Dante replied, "when you didn't check in, we got worried."

"Do you remember anything?" Trish asked her, a note of concern catching in her throat.

Lady was silent a moment, her eyes going unfocused. "I was researching that species of demon that attacked the public school two days ago. Then I left….and…"

Dante and Trish both leaned closer in anticipation, though neither dared rush Lady in recollecting what had occurred.

"I didn't even see or feel them coming," Lady finally murmured, "I was jumped from behind. They must have been hiding behind the donation bin. There were three of them, taller than you by at least three feet." She looked at Dante when she said this.

"Had you seen their type before?" Trish asked, deciding that now was a good time to give Lady the pain killers. Giving Dante a look, the red-clad hunter headed to the small kitchen in the back, coming back with a glass of water in hand.

Lady took the pain killers gratefully, gulping two of the potent pills down eagerly. "No," she finally replied as she handed the glass back to Dante, "they were dark, nearly black. Their upper bodies were thick, covered in spikes…" she trailed off as she tried to think of more, but found she was becoming drowsy.

"It's okay, Lady. You just get some rest, alright?" Dante said soothingly, fluffing the throw pillow beneath her head. Lady gave him a weary smile, and just like that, she was out.

Dante looked over at Trish. She was absently chewing on her thumbnail, her eyebrows contracted in a mix of concern and anger.

"It's not much to go on." Dante spoke up, Trish snapping out of her musing.

"No, I'm afraid not," she sighed, "I guess we'll just have to wait until she's better."

Dante nodded, and began stitching up Lady's wounds again. Trish grabbed the wash cloth, and headed to the bathroom, rinsing it with fresh cold water.

The two continued to mend Lady in silence, both lost in their own thoughts.

One thought was shared between them, though; whoever did this to Lady was going to pay, ten-fold. The human devil hunter had proven her mettle, time and again. She was a valuable asset to their team, as well as a good friend.

"Yup," Dante muttered to himself, Trish only half listening, "as soon as Lady is well enough, I'm going to find the son of a bitch that did this…and we're going to have ourselves a nice little _chat_…"


	8. Chapter 8: Decisions

**I'm back! Okay, this one-shot chapter deals with Dante's first interaction with Nero, focusing on their battle, and Dante's inner musings. I hope it is to your liking.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Devil May Cry. It and the characters within are property of Capcom. This fanfiction is non-profit, and purely for entertainment, only.**

* * *

_**Decisions**_

From the moment before he crashed through the stained glass roof, Dante could tell that every one of the Holy Knights possessed demonic power. Having followed the young white haired man here after he had lain waste to a horde of demons, the legendary devil hunter was positive he'd hit the jack pot.

As he fell, he savoured the sensation of the wind whipping around him, the stained glass refracting the sun's rays as it cascaded down along with him.

Landing in a crouch before whom he recognized as the head of the religious order, Dante levelled his gaze at the elderly man.

Ice blue eyes met milky hazel ones. Deep inside those orbs, fear stirred…along with something else. Dante recognized it immediately, and without a second thought, he brought Ivory forward.

The gun shot pierced the air, sending the congregated civilians into a panic after a moment of dumbfounded shock. Dante heard the Captain of the Knights shout, "Your Holiness!" and whirled around, met by the sight of the Knights unsheathing their swords.

The Knights surrounded him, all mimicking the same defensive stance as one another. Grabbing Rebellion from his back, Dante leapt forward, his booted feet sending one of the knights flying.

From that point on, pandemonium broke out. Parrying and thrusting, Rebellion met each of their blades with ease. The devil hunter sent a savage kick to another set of ribs, and finding one of the other knights he'd gotten the drop on lying on the floor, stabbed Rebellion downward into the man's chest.

The battle raged on, a look of impassive determination etched across Dante's face. In a flurry of movements, his blade connected, again and again, with those of his enemies. Then, with a mighty thrust, he impaled one of the knights with Rebellion. Using the dying man, he swung the sword left and right, crashing into the rest of the knights as they rushed him. Bending over backward, and straightening, he took several of them out at once, finishing with a circular flourish that sent them all flying.

He cut down each enemy one by one, his eyes finally coming to rest on the Captain of the knights, who knelt by the presumably dead preacher's side. He began to approach the man, whose back was to him.

"Credo!" He heard a female voice cry out from somewhere far behind him.

"Kyrie!" a young male voice shouted, which he assumed was in answer to the female's anguished cry.

Dante thought nothing of it, as he parried another knight's attack. The knight went crashing into a red-haired maiden, causing her to fall.

His curiosity getting the better of him, Dante approached the girl. He assumed she was the one who had first called out, no doubt to the Captain of the knights. Terror-filled eyes stared back at him, her mouth agape as she attempted to scoot as far away from him as possible.

Hearing an enraged snarl, the red-clad warrior looked to his left. Recognizing the white haired youth from earlier, he didn't have time to react as the young knight charged him.

Dante was hit full force in the face with the heels of both boots. Sharp pain registered throughout his head, as he was sent flying backward.

As he flew through the air, he heard the unmistakable sound of gunfire. Seeing two bullets rushing at him, he struck them with Rebellion, deflecting their trajectory.

He landed on a crude statue of his father Sparda situated at the very back of the stage, and brought his sword to bear in a defensive manner. His timing was off though, and the kid got the jump on him, kicking the hilt of the blade so that it was lodged in the head of the statue.

Jumping to his right, he brought both Ebony and Ivory up, crossing them at his wrists. At the exact same second, the youth brought his double-barreled revolver up to meet the twin pistols.

In that moment, Dante realized there was certainly something special about this kid. He could feel it, an all-too-familiar surge of power…

* * *

After a quick exchange between the young knight and his superior, whom rushed out with the maiden at his side-whom turned out to be siblings-the battle continued.

The youth shot at Dante, the devil hunter dodging it just in the nick of time. The red-clad warrior jumped into the air, the young knight following suit. Grabbing Dante with his legs, they struggled in midair, as the other deflected gunfire from the opposition. Dante was caught by surprise, when the young warrior suddenly grabbed hold of him by the coat, and flung him at the statue.

Landing gracefully, his coat billowing around him, Dante looked up just in time as the kid jumped at him. Leaping backward, Rebellion was freed from its place in Sparda's helm, the blade spinning through the air and into Dante's outstretched hand.

Falling, Dante set his sights on the young man standing on the statue below him, and struck against the revolver in his hand.

This sent the knight tumbling down the statue, only stopping as he braced a leg against the statues' massive sword, his back rigid against the statue itself. The youth looked up at Dante with his teeth bared, and fired a shot.

When he missed his mark, he let out a growl, using all of his strength to dislodge the giant sword from the statue. As it fell, Dante stood comfortably on the pommel, adjusting his stance with the sword's descent. The youth ran up the blade, shooting at the elder man again, and attempted to hit him with the butt of the revolver.

The devil hunter and knight leapt off the sword as it crash-landed, the metal vibrating with each bounce.

Dante casually shouldered Rebellion, taking in the sight of the demolished theatre around him. Gazing up, he saw the youth had his revolver levelled at him, once again.

"You have a jacked-up notion of fair play pal," the kid growled, a humourless smirk on his face, "and it's beginning to piss me off."

The younger man fired two rounds, Dante dodging them easily. As he twirled around, reloading the gun, Dante leapt off to the side. The youth brought the gun to bear where the devil hunter had been standing; Dante caught a look of minor bemusement on the younger man's face.

Casually emerging in the knight's peripheral vision, Dante innocently looked around.

"I guess this doesn't quite cut it." He heard the kid state, holstering his pistol with a flourish. Kicking backward at an abandoned blade belonging to one of the other knights, he dislodged it from the floor, catching it in his hand.

Stabbing it into the floor in front of him, he revved the sword's hand guard. "What's the point of packing a sword like that if you aren't even going to use it?" he challenged, glaring at Dante.

Dante studied Rebellion, as if just noticing it for the first time. Mimicking the knight, he planted the tip of the blade in the floor, pretending to rev it just as the knight had, smirking at the younger man as he did so.

Amusement lit his eyes, causing the youth to rush forward in righteous indignation.

_Something tells me this kid is going to be fun…_

* * *

After a flurry of thrusts, in which Rebellion met the knight's blade over and over, Dante knocked the blade from his hand, and went in for the kill. Not that he had any _real_ intention of hurting the younger man.

No, far from it.

He could sense an untapped reservoir of power within him-a power that emanated from his right arm, cleverly concealed in a sling.

The young knight braced himself for the killing blow, bringing his right arm up defensively. As the tip of Rebellion struck him, a powerful shockwave was unleashed, revealing a red and blue glowing claw where the sling had once been.

"Hmm, you've got a trick up your sleeve." Dante quipped, becoming more intrigued with the boy by the minute.

"I thought the cat had your tongue," the kid retorted, "but if it's a trick you're looking for…then try this!" Using a great deal of strength, he flung Dante backward, using the sheer force of his mysterious arm.

Managing to stay on his feet, Dante mused aloud, "Looks like you too, are a-"

Before he could finish, the youth let out a roar, somehow projecting an even larger version of his right arm as he hoisted the giant sword of Sparda. He launched it at Dante, the devil hunter leaning back just in time, as the sword collided, tip-first, into the wall behind him.

_Hmm…maybe I should step up my game, here. _He mused, taking stock of the damage.

"Hate to interrupt," the knight replied, "but I want to wrap this up before the cavalry arrives." His eyes met Dante's once again, and with a bellow, he raced toward the elder hunter again.

Dante swung Rebellion downward, striking the younger man's demonic arm. Seeing it flash, he grinned knowingly. The younger man took this opportunity to grab Rebellion by the blade, and flung it far, Dante along with it.

Dante slammed into one of the pews, the bench sliding back on its hind legs from the sheer force of his landing. It finally came to rest against a large pile of debris, landing on its front legs again. Dante put Rebellion's blade to the floor, steadying himself into a sitting position, leaning on the weapon for support. He smirked at the white-haired knight, a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

"So, you're looking to play, huh?" He drawled, and leaned back in his seat, lifting Rebellion up in nonchalance. "Alright, I guess I got some time to kill…" he made no attempt to conceal his grin as he stared at the youth.

"Tough guy, huh?" the kid replied, grabbing hold of the sword he'd used before, "well…."

He turned his back to Dante, the elder hunter knowing an attack was soon to follow. Sure enough, the knight turned swiftly, kicking one of the other benches at Dante. Dante leapt from his seat, the youth mirroring him as he met him in midair. The sound of clashing blades rang through the air, and the devil hunter landed on his feet, rolling his shoulders as he turned to see the kid perched atop the pile of broken benches.

"I think I'll have to take you down a couple notches." The kid smirked as he looked down at Dante, only serving to fuel the devil hunter's amusement further.

"Whatever you say, kid." He scoffed, knowing he'd hit his mark when the younger man's smirk faltered.

With that, the young knight leapt down at him, and the battle recommenced.

* * *

Deciding now was as good a time as any to test the kid's potential, Dante let him get in a lucky shot. Setting up a defensive stance, he placed Rebellion in front of him. The kid brought his fist back, and punched the sword full force, sending Dante flying.

Letting out a gasp, Dante was surprised by what came next. He felt a hand grab his ankle firmly, yanking him back. In midair, the kid was over top of him, a hand clamped over the older man's right wrist, the demonic hand clenched into a fist.

_Oh, shit…_ The thought had barely formed in Dante's mind. He brought his left arm up in hopes of deflecting the attack, as the kid's demonic hand slammed into his face, pinning him to the floor. Distantly, he could hear Rebellion whirling through the air; the blade let out a clang as it came to a stop, lodged into the floor well out of his reach.

Unable to do much else, Dante went limp as the youth began punching him in the face repeatedly. Though he showed no emotion, it hurt beyond all hell, as bone collided with bone, over and over again.

The devil hunter felt his own inner devil awakening to the threat, and felt the power surging through his veins. His left arm flashed back and forth between human and demon form, but the experienced hunter reined it in. After all, the kid was only acting defensively from what he'd seen Dante do; by the look of things, the kid was in the dark about what the Order was doing behind the scenes.

And so, Dante took the punishment, only to be flung into his father's statue once again. Before gravity set in, the youth threw Rebellion at him, the claymore piercing his chest, and pinning him to the statue. Dante let out a pained gasp, his arms falling limply at his sides. No matter how many times he was impaled, either with his own sword, another's, or any number of sharp objects…he would _never_ get used to the searing agony that came with it.

Dante peered through half-closed eyelids, watching as the younger man turned his back to him, clearly satisfied that he'd killed his quarry.

As he began to walk away, Dante spoke up. "Getting better…"

The youth made a choked sound in the back of his throat as he whirled around, staring as the red-clad warrior lifted his head.

Dante began pushing against the statue, wincing as the sharp blade slid against his insides.

"I would even go as far as to say I underestimated your…abilities…" he choked out, landing in front of the youth, Rebellion still protruding from his chest.

The knight's eyes narrowed, a mixture of wonder and caution reflecting within them. "You aren't human, are you?" he asked warily.

"We're the same," Dante replied, grabbing the flat of his blade with both of his hands as began to remove it, "you and….I." he grunted with the final pull, resting the blade on the floor.

He looked at the knight, noting the mixture of emotions that played across the youth's face.

It was adamantly clear; the kid really had no idea what his superiors were doing.

"And them…" he nodded toward the corpses of the other fallen knights. The youth looked around, taking in the sight of the once-human knights; where human corpses should have been, only smoldering demons remained.

Letting out a gasp, he gave a start as Dante began speaking again. "Though I suspect you carry something different from the others." He sat above the young knight, perched on the opening he had made when he'd first crash landed in the theatre.

The youth glared up at him, "What are you talking about?" he replied defensively.

"You will come to learn the meaning soon enough," Dante stood then, dusting off the back of his coat, "but, business beckons."

He grinned to himself as he walked out the youth's line of sight, knowing that he'd more than likely just driven the kid out of his mind with curiosity. Sure enough, he heard an angry "Hey!" proclaimed from below, followed by a gun shot.

Leaning back over the open space, he grinned down at the young knight. "Adios, kid!" With that, he dashed off.

He could faintly hear the kid's exasperated growl, and chuckled to himself as he pictured the scowl he would wear.

* * *

As he ducked down an alley, he ascended to the roof tops. "It looks like there is more at work here than just some power-hungry humans, after all." He murmured to himself. When Lady had come to him with her suspicions, he'd been skeptical. But having nothing better to do, he figured the case was worth looking into.

He had been right. The Order of the Sword was a corrupt group of religious fanatics, worshipping Sparda out in the open, but harnessing demonic power, behind the scenes.

He didn't know how, but Dante was positive the kid had his old man's blood, coursing through his veins. He knew the kid was not _his_ son, but he was given to wonder; who's was he, then? Had Vergil shacked up with a human female during the years the twins had been apart? Or had Sparda, long after Eva's death and before his own presumable demise, found another mate?

Dante didn't want to face that possibility. If Sparda had done that, it would mean he had turned his back on the two sons he already had, leaving them to fend for themselves in their own, unforgiving worlds.

But, perhaps Sparda had believed both his sons dead along with his beloved wife? Perhaps it had been a couple of decades, before he settled down with another?

Dante didn't know. He was only certain that the kid was special.

"Well, wherever he came from," he mused aloud, "I think it's in my best interest to keep an eye on him. Who knows? The kid might need my help, if this whole thing goes to hell…"

Snickering to himself over his unintended pun, he continued on his way. His decision was made, his course set; all he could hope was that there would be some serious pay off-and not just in the form of money.


	9. Chapter 9: Karma

**I'm back, yet again. I swear, it's as though Dante has Ebony and Ivory hovering over me, because I can't seem to slow down with this. Anyway, this chapter focuses on Dante's interactions with Patty, Nero, Lady, and Trish. Despite it being a cross over between DMC4 and the anime, it's best to visualize DMC4 Dante. ;) (After all, he's a ruggedly handsome specimen, if I do say so, myself). I hope you enjoy. Please R&R. :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Devil May Cry. It, along with its characters, are the property of Capcom. I make no profit from this; this is purely for entertainment, only.**

* * *

_**Karma**_

Business at the _Devil May Cry _had been slow, lately. No, _more_ than slow; it had been downright immobile.

As a result, this left Dante very bored. Anyone who knew him well knew this; a bored Dante is not a good Dante. It had been three weeks since anything of interest had come up; oh sure, he'd had a few odd jobs, all of which were mundane, compared to the line of work he really craved. Because of this, the white-haired half devil had taken his boredom out on everyone else.

Oh, he hadn't been moody, or anything of the sort; if it had been something so straightforward, Lady, Trish, and Nero would have known exactly how to retaliate. Lady with the pull of a trigger, Trish with her beguiling feminine charms, and Nero…well, Nero with his hot-headed "shoot first, ask questions later" approach.

No, Dante relieved his boredom in one way, and one way only; pranks. The other devil hunters were completely at his mercy, mainly because they couldn't prove it had been _him _who had done all of the things they'd suffered through, though they did suspect it-at first. Unable to prove anything, they had begun to doubt he had anything to do with the strange events, at all.

Dante used this to his advantage, managing to keep a straight face whenever approached on the matter, only to snicker behind his hand when their backs were turned.

Little did he know, his pranking reign was coming to an end…

* * *

Patty strode into the office, the now eleven-year-old ignoring the stack of pizza boxes in the corner as she did. Peering around the room, she noticed the absence of one person; Dante. Shrugging, she sauntered over to Lady and Trish, both women playing a game of pool together.

"Hi there Lady, Trish." She greeted enthusiastically, her blonde ponytail swaying behind her as she came to a stop.

Both women smiled in greeting, and proceeded to ask the young girl how she was.

"I've been great," the girl enthused, "my mom and I…well we've been talking about opening a bakery. How have you two been? Sorry I haven't dropped in for a while. It's just been so much work, planning for it."

The two women exchanged looks of exasperation, piquing the girl's curiosity instantly.

"Well, we've been better." Lady replied, setting her pool cue down, and leaning against the table.

"Yes," Trish added, "business has been slow for us. And there have been some strange goings-on, around the office…"

"Oh?" Patty raised an eyebrow inquiringly.

"That's putting it mildly." came a young male's voice. Patty looked in the direction that the voice had come from. She hadn't even noticed Nero upon entering the shop.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Nero! I didn't see you there." Patty blushed, casting an apologetic smile in his direction.

Nero got up from the couch, and walked over to the young lady. "Hey, no worries," He said in greeting, patting her on the shoulder.

"What did you guys mean, about strange goings-on around here?" Patty asked, glancing between the three devil hunters.

"Well, at first it was only little things," Trish commented, "things we mistook for minor mishaps, and nothing more."

"Such as…?" Patty prompted, giving the blonde she-devil her full attention.

"At first, I thought I had accidentally swapped the shampoo and conditioner, when I went to have a shower. But then, it kept recurring, over and over. I even tried to use the conditioner bottle first, assuming it was shampoo…but it seemed someone, or something, was one step ahead of me." Trish nibbled her thumbnail, a look of uncertainty creasing her eyebrows.

Before Patty could say anything, Lady held up a hand. "Wait, there's more."

Patty nodded, waiting for them to continue. Lady spoke up, absently playing with the strap that held Kalina-Ann on her back.

"On top of that, all of our weapons kept going missing, only to turn up in the weirdest places, sometimes covered with black marker…with very crude writing and drawings, I might add."

Patty felt the faintest tug of a smile on her lips, and decided to cover her mouth with her hand. However, the three hunters had caught the gesture, and stared at her quizzically.

Nero narrowed his eyes at the girl, a smirk tugging at his own lips. "You know something, don't you?"

Patty shook her head, but she couldn't muffle the giggles that erupted. It was no use; she just wasn't any good at lying. Especially when she knew Nero could get it out of her with something as simple as a look, or a well-placed poke to the ribs.

When she didn't speak up, the latter method is what he employed. Try as she might, she couldn't dodge the ticklish pokes to her sides. It was as if Nero was everywhere, predicting her moves before she made them.

Dissolving into a fit of giggles, she managed to gasp out, "Alright…alright! I'll tell you." clutching her sides, she looked up at the young man, who crossed his arms over his chest, smirking in triumph.

Not wanting to suffer another barrage of his lightning fast digits, she hastened to reply, "Well, isn't it obvious? Dante's doing it!"

Nero looked over at Lady, a smug smile on his face. "I _told_ you it was the old man!"

"How can you be so sure?" Lady asked, ignoring Nero's self-satisfied exclamation.

"We thought it was him originally, too," Trish pointed out, "but every time we asked, he looked as bewildered as we were. Even his weapons suffered the same fate as ours."

Patty laughed, shaking her head. "He's using that as a cover," she explained, "and by the looks of things, he has gotten _really_ good at acting." The blonde girl was genuinely surprised that the half devil had fooled them all so easily, though upon further reflection, she had to wonder; had they not spent enough time around him, all in one shot, before? If they had, surely they would have come across the wrath of 'bored Dante' long before now.

She decided to ask them exactly this.

"Well, of course we've spent long bouts with Dante," Lady chortled, "how do you think we learned to take him in small doses, from here on out?"

Trish and Nero laughed in agreement, Patty only shaking her head in confusion.

"If that's the case, how come he's never pulled these pranks on you guys before?" she tapped her upper lip with a forefinger, "he's pulled this kind of stuff on me plenty."

"Well, like you said," Trish replied, running a hand through her long blonde hair, "perhaps we haven't been around Dante long enough during quieter times."

"I suppose that makes sense," Patty conceded, "after all, you guys usually only work together, killing demons."

"So," Nero interrupted, "you're absolutely certain it's Dante pulling all of these stunts?"

Patty grinned up at him, her eyes crinkling impishly. "Absolutely."

The three demon hunters exchanged a look, none quite sure how to proceed, now that they were armed with this information.

After a beat or two, Patty smiled knowingly at the trio. "So, do you want to get back at him?"

All three seized this, as if it were a life line. As if she even needed to ask…

* * *

The moment he strode through the double doors of _Devil May Cry_, Dante felt something wasn't right. Glancing around suspiciously, he was surprised to see that no one else was around.

_Huh, I wonder where everyone's gone off to? _He pondered, walking over to his desk, and collapsing into the high-backed chair.

Leaning the chair back on its hind legs, he attempted to prop his feet on the desk. What happened instead, was that the chair slid forward, causing the devil hunter to fall over backward.

Letting out a pained groan, he rolled off of the chair, and stood.

_What the hell just happened?_ He wondered. He'd done the same thing at his desk probably thousands of times; why had he fallen backward, this time? Noticing the near-blinding shine on the floor surrounding his chair, he shrugged; clearly Patty had gone overboard with the floor wax.

Rubbing his sore lower back, he walked into the kitchenette in the back, and grabbed a can of beer from the fridge. As soon as he pulled the tab, he was assaulted with a cold spray of the foamy beverage-directly up his nose.

Sputtering, he glared at the can accusingly. Had he accidentally shaken it, while removing it from the fridge? No, he was certain he hadn't. Just like propping his boots up on his desk, he had opened enough beers in his life time to know something wasn't quite right.

Grumbling under his breath, he took a long swig from the half empty can, and set it on the counter. Deciding he needed to rinse the beer off of his face and out of his hair, he headed to the upstairs bathroom, thinking a shower might be in order.

Once he was done washing up, the half devil headed over to the bathroom sink, thinking he might need a shave. Glancing at himself in the mirror, he squeezed a dollop of shaving cream into one of his hands…only to do a double-take. Peering at himself in the mirror, his mouth fell open. His hair…his hair…

His hair was pink!

Letting out an anguished shout, he rushed out of the bathroom, with only a towel covering him.

His ears were met with the sounds of raucous, hysterical laughter. Running down the stairs, he found Lady, Trish, Nero, and Patty, all sitting on the couch, laughing. Patty and Nero were slumped shoulder-to-shoulder, both weak with laughter. The blonde girl offered the white-haired youth a hand, receiving a high-five from him.

"The pink dye in the shampoo bottle…was a nice…touch…" the girl gasped around giggles.

Nero wiped the mirth from his eyes, taking notice of the elder devil hunter. Noticing the hot pink hair, along with the livid expression Dante wore, the younger man dissolved into another fit of helpless laughter. Patty was laughing so hard at this point, no sound was coming out.

Lady and Trish were the first to compose themselves, their eyes glinting mischievously at Dante. He only scowled back at them, crossing his arms over his bare chest.

"Oh, don't give us _that_ look," Lady scolded him half-heartedly, suppressing her own grin, "you had it coming."

"Oh yeah," Dante countered, raising an eyebrow, "and just how did you come by that conclusion?"

"Karma's a bitch, old man!" Nero exclaimed, only to fall prey to a renewed fit of laughter from the look he received.

"We know it was you, pulling all those pranks on us." Trish smiled at him, striding over to half devil, and placing a hand on his shoulder.

When he opened his mouth to protest, Patty cut in. "Don't even _try_ to deny it, Dante." She giggled, "I know all of your tricks; when they told me about all the weird things going on, I _knew _it was you!"

"So, we enlisted Patty's help in getting our revenge on you." Lady chuckled, "it serves you right. By the way…pink is a good look on you."

At that, they all dissolved into laughter, even Dante.

"Alright, alright! I confess," he dropped his gaze, feigning remorse. "It was me. But did you really need to go _this_ far?" he gestured at his hair, a note of pleading in his voice.

Patty giggled, "Don't worry, Dante. It washes out," she reassured him, wiping her eyes. "we're not _that_ cruel."

The devil hunter nearly deflated as he exhaled, relieved. "Oh, good…"

"Well old man," Nero piped up, striding over to him, "I hope you've learned your lesson."

The wry grin on his face was just too much to bear.

Dante only smiled in reply, and headed upstairs. Returning mere minutes later, he was fully dressed, grinning all the while.

"Yeah, I've learned my lesson kid," he said out of the blue, the others exchanging worried looks, "I guess you're all just too smart for the likes of me."

Nero cocked an eyebrow, a wary look in his eyes. "Uh…okay, old man. As long as you realize it, all is forgiven…" he trailed off, sounding unsure.

Dante only continued to smile, his fangs showing him for the predator he really was.

After an uncomfortable silence, Nero scratched the back of his head. "Well, it's been real fun and all, but I should probably head home. I'll see you all later." With that, the youth left, no one speaking until the double doors had fully closed.

Simultaneously, the three women rounded on Dante, arms crossed, eyes accusing.

"Okay, what did you do?" Trish asked, Lady and Patty echoing the question.

Dante put his hands up in submission, "Absolutely nothing."

"Oh, really?" Lady retorted, "Then what was all that about? You don't have some sordid revenge planned against us all, do you?"

"Of course not!" Dante replied in mock offense, "What do you take me for?"

"Good, because if you recall, ours was revenge against you for pulling all the little stunts that you did." Lady narrowed her heterochromatic eyes at him threateningly. The message was clear; if he pulled anything else, she had no compunction about pulling a handgun on him.

Dante chuckled under his breath, "You have my word; I'm not going to get revenge on any of you."

All three females exchanged worried looks, but Dante walked away, grinning once his back was turned.

No, he wasn't going to do anything-at all. He didn't need to; their imaginations would keep them on their toes for the next couple of weeks. That in itself, was revenge and reward enough, for him…


	10. Chapter 10: Anger and Determination

**I'm back, even quicker than I anticipated. This is one of those chapters where Dante is doing a lot of thinking; in this case, about Mundus, the one demon he was unable to slay, and the impact said demon had on his life-for good and for ill. I hope you enjoy. Once again, I would like to thank whomever has been reviewing my DMC work, so far. :) Your reviews have been very much appreciated. I look forward to any and all reviews I get, down the road.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Devil May Cry. It belongs to Capcom, along with the characters. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment, only. No profit is made from this.**

* * *

_**Anger and Determination**_

Anger.

It didn't even begin to explain the depth of emotions Dante was experiencing. Impotent rage was closer, but it was still no match for the emotions roiling through his blood.

_Why can't I get rid of these thoughts? _Dante mentally chided himself; true, the nightmare hadn't helped, but it seemed no matter what he did, no matter how well things turned out in the end, he would forever be plagued by his anger toward the demon King, Mundus.

Sitting up in his bed, Dante wiped a hand over his face, sighing heavily. Mundus had been responsible for so much of his pain and suffering. The fact that he, to date, was the only demon Dante was unable to kill, only amplified the half devil's rage.

Pondering on this, he supposed _that_ was the reason; by not being able to kill Mundus, he was denied the closure he obtained from every other task he'd undergone.

Mundus had taken his mother from him; it was because of Mundus that Sparda had been fighting so hard, and thus, his disappearance (or probable demise) was indirectly Mundus' doing. It was Mundus that had corrupted Vergil's mind through Eva's death, and whom corrupted his body, when Dante's twin had so arrogantly challenged him in the Underworld-after a battle with Dante himself, no less!

_Idiot,_ Dante thought morosely, _why the hell did you do it?_

Sighing again, he managed to smile. One good thing had come from Mundus, after all.

Trish.

Though she had not started out as his ally, and had been, in fact, designed by Mundus to lure Dante into his trap, the blonde she-devil had sacrificed herself to protect him. True, it had been Dante's compassion, when he had saved her, that led to this-but it only proved to Dante that demons could learn to love, could learn compassion and understanding.

Trish had done a great deal to make up for hurting him while under Mundus' control, and when the chips were down, Trish was often the first to be by his side, supporting him through it all.

When it really came down to it, Mundus was responsible for Lady being in Dante's life, too. He was responsible for Dante's thirst to become a devil hunter, to protect the innocent, and all the people in his life that resulted from that vocation.

Though nothing could ever minimalize the suffering of losing his family to the vile Demon Lord, Dante could not deny; good had come from all that darkness.

Even acknowledging this, he could not shake the anger rising under his skin, bubbling and frothing like hot lava. It was abundantly clear to the devil hunter; there would be no sleeping, tonight.

Getting up, he walked out of his room, and slowly made his descent down the stairs. On nights like this, he needed to blow off a little steam. Grabbing his clothes from the sofa, he put them on quickly, and grabbed his long red coat from the floor, where he had unceremoniously tossed it.

Striding over to the wall behind his desk, he grabbed hold of Rebellion, and placed the claymore on his back. Ebony and Ivory were already secure in their respective holsters, his pockets containing extra magazines for them both.

"Yeah, on a night like tonight, I just need to work off the anger." He muttered to himself, heading out the double doors.

* * *

The night air was crisp and cool, invigorating to the half devil's senses. Looking up, he saw a sliver of the moon, a waning sickle in the sky. Breathing deeply, he walked down the cobblestone street, his keen eyesight taking in every detail, however miniscule it may be.

Not another living soul was out, tonight, though Dante figured it had more to do with it being after two in the morning, than the chill in the air.

Feeling a sudden shift in the atmosphere, he stopped, directly under a shaft of light from the street lamps overhead. The change was subtle, but the devil hunter had a sharp sense for these things, after all of his years hunting demons.

Hearing a shuffling sound behind him, he grinned from ear-to-ear, his fingers grasping his twin pistols eagerly.

_Yes, tonight is going to be a good night, indeed._

Whirling around, he fired rapidly, both forefingers twitching on Ebony and Ivory's triggers. Blood spattered from the wounds of the demons before him, the creatures crying shrilly from the surprise attack.

Looking closer, Dante was disappointed to see they were only Chimera; hybrid demons formed, when a Chimera seed attached itself to a host. In this case, the hosts had been Assault class demons. Though Assaults were formidable-and more so, when Chimera seeds were involved-they were still just lower class demons. Dante had had more than his fill of such easy targets.

_Then again, _He thought to himself, noticing the ever-growing population of the demons. Grinning again, he holstered Ivory, and grabbed Rebellion from his back. _This could be interesting, after all. And besides, I need all the warm-up rounds I can get._

He slashed at the demons, breaking through the ranks, only to charge Rebellion up with energy, and let loose with a flurry of shockwaves. Jumping away from the left overs, he put Rebellion on his back once again, pulling Ivory out. Firing into the horde over and over, he continued his musing.

_One day, I will find you again, Mundus…and when I do, you better be ready. Because on that day, your life is mine!_

Letting out a contented sigh as the last of the demons evaporated, he put both pistols away, and began the return journey to _Devil May Cry._

Chuckling to himself, he came to an important realization; if anything could stamp out his anger, or at least redirect it into productivity, it was sheer determination.

Reaching his destination, he stood for a moment, drinking in the events of the night.

"Heh." He shrugged to himself, and pulled the doors open.

_Well, would you look at that,_ he silently laughed to himself, stifling a yawn, _looks like I'm ready to sleep, after all…_


	11. Chapter 11: Requiem

**I've returned. This prompt gave me a bit of trouble, but once an idea formed about it, I refused to give up. This occurs sometime after the events of DMC4, with the characters that are present in both that game, and the anime characters (such as Patty and Morrison). This is one of those more "touching" chapters. It still contains some humour, but delves into Dante's familial ties, and finding closure in regards to them. I hope you enjoy this. Please R&R. :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Devil May Cry; it, along with its characters, belong to Capcom. I also do not own Dead Pool, Wolverine or Sabertooth, or any rights to the X-Men movies. They are the property of Marvel, and are only mentioned briefly. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment, only. I am making absolutely no profit from this (except to enjoy the thrill of writing).**

* * *

_**Requiem**_

It was early evening, and the occupants at the _Devil May Cry_ agency were enjoying a little 'party', so to speak. The devil hunters were celebrating the completion of a rather large mission-the largest since Dante and Nero had put an end to Sanctus' maniacal hunger for Sparda's power.

Trish, Lady, and Dante had gone to investigate a claim about a cult in a nearby town that specialized in human sacrifice to appease an angry Demon Lord; a demon that had somehow managed to break through the barriers that had original been put in place. Barriers, rumour had it, that Sparda himself, had put up during one of his many great battles against his demonic brethren.

Upon arrival, the three devil hunters met up with Nero; he had also been called to investigate. After his harrowing victory against Sanctus, the young knight had built quite a reputation for himself. It had taken several weeks to clean up the mess, killing the Demon Lord and his minions, while disbanding the cult (forcefully, through threat of being gunned down).

And so, all four hunters, along with Kyrie, Patty and Morrison, had opted to celebrate their recent success.

In the far left corner, Morrison, Patty, Nero, and Dante enjoyed a movie marathon, snacking on soda and popcorn, their eyes glued to the small screen. Lady and Trish played a game of pool, the two women chatting and laughing all the while.

Concluding their game, they decided to join the others; Trish squeezed in between Dante and Kyrie, draping her arm over the broad shoulders of the half devil. Lady sat on the opposite arm of the couch, next to Patty, the girl smiling briefly up at her before returning her gaze to the movie.

On the screen, Wolverine was seen fighting Sabertooth, his brother. As the movie continued on, the two brothers joined forces, fighting against a newly activated Dead Pool.

Feeling him stiffen beside her, Trish glanced at Dante, a concerned frown forming with a crease between her eyebrows.

"_We could never be 'done', James. After all, we're brothers. And brothers look out for each other." _Sabertooth's line may as well have echoed throughout the entire building, for the impact it had on all assembled before the television set.

Everyone became increasingly aware of Dante's mood, sliding from peaceful into anguished.

Lady clicked the remote, shutting the t.v. off. Dante gave a start, and looked over at the female devil hunter. "Hey, what do you think you're doing? The movie's not over, yet."

"It is, for you." She replied, her voice quiet, yet firm. Her eyes met his, unblinking.

After a moment of bewilderment, Dante shook his head, a sad smile playing upon his lips. "I know what you're thinking," he said to her, getting up from the couch and stretching, "but it's fine, really."

"Give it a rest, Dante." Morrison chided, putting his fedora on as he too, stood. "All of us could tell something about that movie set you off."

"Yeah, old man," Nero jumped in, frowning. "I don't think you've noticed, but when your mood changes, so does the atmosphere around here. Not to mention the temperature." The white-haired youth shuddered slightly, Kyrie placing a comforting hand on his arm. Nero still wasn't used to all the abilities he'd had unlocked within him, since his devil awakening.

"Really guys, I'm fine." Dante insisted.

This statement was met with disbelieving stares from the others.

Dante threw up his hands in exasperation. "Look, I appreciate your concern, I really do. But it's nothing."

"Dante, whatever is bothering you, it's not 'nothing'." Kyrie approached him, her voice gentle, her light brown eyes brimming with understanding.

At a loss for what to say, the devil hunter ran a gloved hand through his white hair, a sigh escaping his lips.

"Okay," he conceded after an uncomfortable silence, "it isn't 'nothing'. But, there is nothing that can be done about it. What's passed is done. I can't rewrite history, no matter how much I want to…"

He trailed off, his gaze dropping to the floor.

Sensing the guilty shifting of six pairs of feet, Dante looked up, a deceptively cheerful smile plastered on his face. "Look, there's really nothing to worry about. I'm a survivor, remember? I've taken bullets to the head and swords to the midsection-_including_ my own. There's nothing I can't handle."

Morrison shook his head, and donned his beige waste coat. "If you're absolutely sure, partner. Well, I'm off. I have an early morning at the agency tomorrow. Congrats again, you guys." The older man smiled at the devil hunters, and spinning on his heel, strode out of the office, the doors silently clicking shut behind him.

"I suppose we should head out, too." Kyrie blushed, giving Dante an apologetic smile. "We made reservations at the hotel nearby, so we'll drop in again tomorrow, okay?"

Dante smiled at the red-haired woman, receiving an unexpected hug in return. Patting Kyrie awkwardly on the back, he replied, "Sure thing. Maybe we'll have a pizza luncheon."

He chuckled at the collective groans from the others, Kyrie only giggling in reply.

Nero clapped Dante on the shoulder in passing, "See you later, _old man_."

"Sure, _kid._" Dante retorted; the two white-haired men shared a grin, each knowing the other was trying to get his goat.

Chuckling, Nero led Kyrie by the hand out of the office; the sound of a motorcycle roared to life, the engine revving, and fading into the background.

Turning to his remaining company, Dante put his fists on his hips. "So, what's the plan?"

"Well, Lady and I decided we'd share your spare room, if it's not too much trouble." Trish replied, searching Dante's eyes. She still didn't trust that the legendary devil hunter was as okay as he pretended to be.

Dante shrugged, "Hey, whatever works for you. And what about you, Pat-?" Stopping short, he noticed Patty was no longer standing with the other two women.

Glancing around, he realized the young girl had passed out on the sofa. She was curled up on her side, breathing evenly. Smiling, he strode over to where she rested, and grabbed the blanket off of the back of the couch, draping it over her. The eleven-year-old sighed in her sleep, a small smile on her lips.

He turned just in time to catch the shared look between the women, both smirking into their hands. "What's so funny, ladies?" he cocked an eyebrow, a wry grin tugging at his own lips.

"Oh, nothing at all," Lady snickered, "_Nanny _Dante."

Both women erupted into a fit of giggles, the devil hunter only scoffing in reply.

"Alright you two cackling hens," his voice carried amusement, watching their faces twist into indignant scowls, "if you don't mind, _Nanny_ Dante has to call a certain mother, before she has a panic attack about her _sweet little angel_."

Rolling their eyes, both women bid him goodnight, and headed up the creaky, wooden stairs.

Once their bedroom door clicked shut, Dante picked up the phone, and rapid dialed Ms. Lowell's number. On the fifth ring, she picked up, her voice somewhat strained.

"Hi Nina, it's Dante."

Listening to the woman's relieved, "Oh thank God!" the devil hunter couldn't help but smile. No matter how much she worried about her daughter, Nina was never angry with her, when she failed to check in. She was always so happy to hear from Dante. It was clear to the half devil that the woman had complete faith in him.

Letting her know that Patty was safe and sound at the office for the night, Nina thanked him for his continued hospitality toward her daughter. After bidding one another goodnight, Dante hung up and exhaled a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

Despite the fact that Nina had to abandon Patty after she was born, Dante knew she was a good mother; after all, she had only left Patty in order to protect her from the demons that constantly hunted her. Dante couldn't fault her for that.

Glancing at the picture on his desk, Dante sighed again. All this thinking about brothers and mothers tonight was exhausting.

Rubbing a hand over his stubble-lined jaw, he slowly made his way up to his own room. Stripping down to his boxers, he flopped onto his bed, instantly falling into a fitful sleep.

* * *

He'd had enough; this was the final straw.

After enduring three days of the same events, over and over, Dante decided it was time to put his foot down.

It wasn't that the others had actually done anything _wrong._ To the contrary, he found he enjoyed their company immensely. It was a change from the usual monotony that he dealt with, when business was slow.

It wasn't like he was seeing too much of them, either; Nero and Kyrie returned to their hotel each night, and spent hours together doing couple things all over the city. Trish and Lady would take off for hours on end; sometimes to shop, and other times, they hit the library. Both women had a healthy appetite for knowledge, and enjoyed literature in general.

Aside from the first night, Patty had made it a point to return home every night since, and Morrison hadn't stopped by at all, having become swamped at his own agency.

No, not a single one of them had overstayed their welcome. So what had the devil hunter beyond exasperated?

At first, he'd chalked it up to coincidence; but after the first three occurrences, all within the same day, he knew better. It seemed that every time he left the room for any reason at all, he would return to the group of them whispering amongst themselves. Once they realized he was standing there, watching them, they'd abruptly stop, and smile at him guiltily.

Having walked in on them whispering yet again, Dante crossed his arms over his chest, frowning at the lot of them.

"Alright, what's going on here?" he asked, a noticeable tick in his jaw.

"Huh? Nothing," Patty replied hastily, a look of confusion on her face. "Why would you think something's going on?"

If her guilty expression hadn't caught his attention, the nervous titter at the end of her statement certainly did.

"Don't play dumb with me. I know you guys have been whispering every time I leave the room." Dante stepped closer to them, allowing his presence to settle over them. Seldom did the half devil employ intimidation of any kind, but at this point, he was becoming fed up with the secrecy.

He swept his gaze over each one of them; Kyrie looked uncomfortable, her gaze dropping to the floor. Trish and Lady looked passed him, their expressions impassive. Nero stared at Dante, feigning confusion, though his right eye twitching was a dead give-away. The kid didn't like deceiving anyone, and his discomfort showed.

The icy blue eyes finally came to rest on Patty, the girl wringing her hands absently.

"You all have terrible poker faces," Dante grinned slightly, "now come on. Spill it."

All five exchanged looks with one another, turning almost simultaneously to take in the impressive figure that stood before them, his arms still crossed over his chest, his eyes narrowed.

Finally, Kyrie stepped forward. "Well, I suppose there's no reason to keep this up any longer. We're really sorry, Dante."

The others chimed in with their apologies, their expressions revealing how ashamed they felt. Nero and Patty both blushed, the former rubbing the back of his neck. Lady's mismatched eyes were large, filled with sadness. A single tear slid down Trish's cheek, unchecked.

Dumbfounded, Dante looked at each of them in turn, raising his eyebrows. "Sorry? Why the heck would you guys be sorry?"

"You're right; we have been talking about you." Kyrie confessed, her hands clasped together, her eyes pleading.

"But not anything bad," Nero cut in, finding his voice. "It's just that…" not knowing how to continue, the younger man cast a pleading gaze in Trish's direction.

The busty blonde stepped forward, coming to his aid. "Well, we've been talking about what happened the other night." She explained. Levelling her gaze with his, she waited until dawning lit his icy baby blues, and continued.

"We've all pieced together what we know about you, and it is abundantly clear that, even though you're happier than any of us has ever seen you, you still lack something."

Dante tilted his head, perplexed.

"Closure." Lady said softly, taking a few tentative steps forward. "On two occasions, you lost your brother…and then, you lost him for good, a third time. I was there during that first fight, I remember how it ended…" she trailed off, her own eyes moist. Both she and Dante had been brought together by their own familial tragedies. It was hard to not ache, when it was the one event that served as the foundation for their friendship.

Not liking where this was going, Dante became defensive. "Okay, so what? I lost my brother. Everybody loses someone, in their lives."

Patty couldn't take it any longer. The girl began crying, and ran over to Dante, hugging him tightly. "But you've lost so much, Dante. Your brother, mother, and your father," she wept into him, the devil hunter softening from the heartache in her voice.

After a few choked sobs, she continued, lifting her eyes to him in earnest. "You've done so much for us! We just want to do something for you, now."

Patty had not forgotten the countless times the half devil had come to her aid…and nor could she forget the agony she felt, when she believed him dead. She would forever be haunted by the image of him, pinned to a cross in the Underworld by his own sword. The only solace she had was that Dante had survived, and was still with them to this day. Those he had lost, however…well, they were gone. There was no coming back for them.

How awful it must be for him, having the memories of their deaths.

Dante swallowed a couple of times, knowing full well what the young girl was thinking from her expression, alone.

Returning her embrace, he looked at the others. They all looked at him, much the way Patty did. Even Nero couldn't contain the mixture of gratitude and guilt that shone in his eyes.

"Okay." Dante finally said, Patty stepping away from him, a slow smile creeping across her freckled face. "I get it, now. I never should have been angry with any of you."

"Given how we were acting, we can't really blame you." Lady grinned at him, letting him know they understood; the half devil returned the grin, gratefully.

"So, what exactly is it that you guys had in mind?" he asked, genuine curiosity getting the better of him.

Kyrie spoke up, a warm smile lighting her porcelain visage. "Well, we were thinking of holding a ceremony, so that you can say a proper goodbye to each one of those whom you have lost."

Dante smiled back at her, his gaze softening quite a bit more. "In that case, I'd be honoured, if you would do this for me."

* * *

Several days had passed since the ceremony had been performed. The group (including Morrison, who had managed to get the night off), had travelled down to the river nearby late at night, when the moon was full. In a copse of willow trees, they'd held a candle-light vigil, standing back as Dante set three separate candles floating on origami boats; a violet one for Sparda, a red one for Eva, and a blue one for Vergil.

After several silent moments, Dante had gotten up from his single knee position, and began the return to _Devil May Cry_, his entourage trailing behind him with white candles in hand.

Currently sitting at his desk, with his feet propped up, Dante smiled at the memory. For the first time in a long time, he truly felt at peace.


	12. Chapter 12: Reverie

**Hello again! This chapter is yet another one, centralized around Dante's memories. In this case, he reflects on his time spent under the alias of "Tony Redgrave". His musing is brought on by his mission from the animated series, "Once Upon a Time". Once again, his thoughts return to Vergil, as well. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Devil May Cry; it belongs to Capcom, along with the characters used. This fanfiction is non-profit, only created for entertainment purposes.**

* * *

_**Reverie:**_

_**Dante's 'Grave' Reflection**_

Five days had passed, since Dante's mission on Morris Island; five days, since the man named Ernest had cursed his very existence, vowing to kill him if he ever returned to the town.

Sitting at his desk, Dante polished Ivory, having already completed the cleaning of the pistol's companion, Ebony. He'd already taken the gun apart, cleaning each piece with care. Now he was shining it nearly to a blinding silver, lost in thought over his last mission.

Letting out a sigh, he finally put the gun down, and rested his chin in the palm of his right hand. While he had not _technically _been the 'Tony' Ernest had believed him to be, he _had_ been known as Tony Redgrave, for the better majority of his childhood.

That isn't to say he _wasn't _the Tony Ernest had known; to the contrary, Dante had been the Tony who lived on Morris Island. But, there had been a lot Ernest hadn't known about young Tony at the time, and after Dante's memory had returned of who he really was, he had drastically changed.

When an eight-year-old Dante had discovered his mother dead, also believing the same fate had befallen his twin brother, some form of strange, protective magic had taken over. He lost his memories, and wound up in the care of an orphanage, and thus, the name 'Tony Redgrave' was born. Meeting a gunsmith by the name of Nell Goldstein, he became fast friends with the surly woman, and viewed her as a surrogate mother.

Dante smiled as he remembered Nell; though elderly, she had been far from frail. It was from her that he had received the very pistols he'd just been polishing. The tough-as-nails lady had created the custom guns, and had taken them apart so that Tony could put them back together himself, thus christening the weapons as his. The two had always bantered back and forth about how hard Tony was on guns; it had been because of his rough handling that Nell had felt compelled to make Ebony and Ivory.

Dante chuckled under his breath; the old woman had gone above and beyond, designing them to his exact specifications.

When he had asked her how she had come up with their exact designs, she had dismissively waved her hand at him, stating, _"You remind me of someone I once knew, long ago. He had a flare for duel-wielding guns, as well. Just like you, he was too fast on the trigger."_ She had led out a wheezy chuckle at that.

Dante laughed again, remembering the sound of Nell's voice. The smile faded though, as he recalled her death; it had been incredibly hard on him, in more ways than one.

When Nell died, his memories of who he really was had returned, in painful clarity. Not only did he have fresh grief over losing Nell, he felt himself being suffocated with a tidal wave of emotion, as though he had lost his mother Eva, all over again.

Of course, some good (and of course, some _more_ bad) had come with his returning memories; shortly before Nell's death, a man named Gilver had joined the mercenary guild 'Tony' had been a part of. The two hadn't gotten on very well, but with his returning memories, Dante learned _why_. Gilver was, in fact, his long lost brother, Vergil.

Dante had never been clear on why Vergil hadn't confronted him with the truth at the get go; he supposed, looking back, that Vergil may have realized Dante had lost all his memories, and did not wish to put his twin through further pain.

Dante leaned back in his chair, and interlocked his fingers behind his head. Frowning, he pondered how difficult it must have been for Vergil, to keep silent all that time until Dante's memory had returned.

Then again, _had _it been? Dante could only guess that it initially had been-until the reunited brothers got to talking about their separate ambitions, that is.

Dante sighed. From what he could tell, Vergil _had_ been happy to talk to his brother again, after all those years. But as always, the elder twin kept his emotions in check, just as he had when they were children. No, he had done even more so; after all those years, Vergil had been greatly changed by the tragic events in his life, more guarded than ever before. Out of the two, he'd had it far worse than his good-natured twin.

If Vergil held Dante accountable in the slightest for his suffering, it exploded ten-fold, the moment Dante opposed Vergil's vision of the world.

The twins had parted ways…until nearly a year later.

Dante rubbed a hand over his face, and got up from his chair. It did no good, going down _that _road again.

_What's done is done, you can't change that. _He chided himself.

* * *

Breathing deeply, after several moments spent arguing with himself, Dante decided a trip to Fredi's might clear his head. Grabbing Ebony and Ivory from this desk, his eyes fell on the shared inscription that was on Ebony's left side, and Ivory's right;

**"For Tony Redgrave, By .45 Art Warks"**

Chuckling, he put the guns in their appropriate holsters, and headed out the double doors, his gaze falling on the orange glow of the setting sun.

_Nell never could spell right._ He mused, shaking his head. Laughing again as he remembered the hard time he'd given the old woman over the name of her shop, _.45 Caliber Warks, _the devil hunter shook his head, and began his journey to Fredi's. It had been a whole six hours since his last strawberry sundae; as far as Dante was concerned, after all this reminiscing over his past life, the frozen treat was long over due…


	13. Chapter 13: Wager

**Hello again! I wanted to thank those of you who have reviewed or added this to your favourites. I am greatly honoured by this.**

**Now, this chapter is a humorous one. We all know how lousy Dante is at gambling, but what happens when the legendary devil hunter actually wins? To find out, please read. ;) I hope you get a good chuckle out of this.**

**Additionally, this is the last chapter until I return from my vacation, in two week's time. I promise you, there is still plenty more to go.**

**Without further ado, enjoy. And as always, please review.**

**Disclaimer: Devil May Cry and its characters are the property of Capcom. This is a non-profit fanfiction, purely for entertainment.**

* * *

_**Wager**_

Dante bellowed a laugh, dropping his cards on to coffee table, a triumphant grin lighting his face.

"Read 'em and weep," he crowed, "royal straight flush!"

Nero's jaw dropped open, the already pale youth blanching further. Beside him, Lady's heterochromatic eyes widened, her mouth forming a comical 'O' of surprise.

In the entire history of Dante and gambling, the devil hunter was seldom known for winning; as in, pretty much never. In fact, the only time that anyone could recall he had won, had been during the death poker match aboard the cruise ship. Having gambled against the demon, whom had possessed each of the players into becoming 'King', it had been quite a different game, than the one he had just been playing. When demons were involved, Dante _never_ lost.

He looked at his companions, relishing their reaction. Leaning back against the couch with his hands clasped at the back of his head, he let out an evil chuckle, enjoying the effect it had on the two sitting opposite from him.

_What makes this deal even sweeter are the bets they made._ He snorted, bringing Nero and Lady out of their shocked silence.

"No…way." Nero was the first one to speak, his head shaking back and forth slowly.

"Clearly not." Dante replied, grinning.

"There's just no way, you won…" Nero didn't seem to have heard him, the youth staring at the cards as though he expected them to magically change into a losing hand before his eyes.

"The cards don't lie, kid." Dante didn't even bother to control the smug tone of his voice.

"You cheated, didn't you?" Lady accused, finally snapping out of her own stupor. Moving quickly, she swiped the cards from the table, examining them closely. Not finding anything to support her accusation, she frowned.

Dante cocked an eyebrow at her. "Satisfied?" he asked.

"Not really." was the curt reply.

"Well, as amusing as it is, watching you both flounder like this," Dante stretched, and leaned forward, rubbing his hands together enthusiastically, "it's time to pay the piper."

Nero and Lady groaned. Their pained expressions said it all; why, _oh why_ had they agreed to do whatever Dante wanted, if he won?

_It's simple,_ Dante mused, _because in a million years, they never expected I would. Serves them right, for making a wager like that!_

Lady sighed, her jaw clenching and unclenching. "Alright, what do we have to do?" she asked finally, her cheek twitching.

"Oh, this is just _too_ perfect," Dante gave them both a predatory smile, and placed his hands on the coffee table, "Lady, you have to watch a movie marathon, right here in the _Devil May Cry,_ so that I know you're upholding your side of the bargain."

Lady looked the half devil in confusion, "What's so bad about that?"

Dante let out a dark chuckle, "You have to watch the _Twilight_ movies."

"No…" Lady groaned, "Why does it have to be _that,_ of all things?"

Dante winked at her, "Because of _that_ reaction exactly, my dark-haired beauty."

Lady glared daggers at the last part, her expression changing to one that was most uncharacteristic of her; pleading.

"Come on, can't you come up with something else, _anything_ else?"

Dante stroked the stubble on his chin, pretending to think it over.

"Well, I'll tell you what, Lady." When the female devil hunter's expression became anxious, Dante found himself fighting off the laughter that threatened to consume him.

"What?" she demanded impatiently. Leaning over the table, she narrowed her eyes at him in suspicion.

"If you can be nice to me for 48 hours, I won't subject you to that." He gave her a toothy smile, and crossed his arms over his chest.

"I don't even think it's possible," Nero scoffed, looking pointedly at Lady, "if you manage to pull it off though, you deserve a medal. _I_ sure as hell couldn't do it."

Dante glared at Nero for a moment. The glare disappeared though, and gave way to more sadistic grinning. After all, he still had yet to dole out punishment to the kid…and with _that_ comment he'd made, the kid had sealed his fate. Dante was going to have fun picking out a suitable punishment, indeed.

Lady exhaled slowly. "Alright, I'll do it." She finally agreed, her eyes meeting Dante's.

"Good," Dante replied, "just remember; the moment you stop being nice…" he pointed at the television set.

"Yeah, I read you loud and clear," Lady huffed, "sparkly vampires."

Dante laughed, and turned his gaze to Nero.

"Now, as for you…what should I make you do? After that smart-assed comment of yours, it needs to be _really_ good."

Nero visibly gulped, his eyes widening fearfully. "Now hold on, old man. You know I didn't _really_ mean anything by tha-"

Dante pretended he hadn't heard him, and began drumming his fingers on the table top, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth all the while. The longer he dragged it out, the more he'd get to savour Nero's veiled pleading.

After several long, agonizing minutes, with Nero going back and forth between begging and threatening, Dante finally announced the white-haired youth's fate.

"No," Nero choked out, his blue eyes wide with panic, "not that. Please, old man! Anything but that! I'll wash and wax your car, I'll clean the office for a month straight, I'll…"

Dante held up a hand, interrupting Nero's frantic bargaining. "I'm sure Patty would appreciate that last part, but…" suddenly, an idea struck him.

A grin slowly appeared on his face, giving way to maniacal cackling.

Both Nero and Lady exchanged a worried glance; there was something very disconcerting about that laugh.

"That's it," Dante struck the palm of his hand with a fist, "Patty! She'll want to see this!"

Nero groaned again. "Aw c'mon, Dante…"

Dante grinned knowingly; the kid only called him by his name, when he was about to go into full-blown grovelling mode. His icy blue eyes twinkled mischievously, waiting for Nero to continue.

"Isn't it degrading enough, without bringing a blonde twelve-year-old into the mix?"

Dante didn't think so, and told the younger man as much.

Nero sighed, and looked at Lady. What had they gotten themselves into?

* * *

Nero had spent _hours_ trying to change the elder devil hunter's mind, but to no avail. As entertaining as it was, watching the kid's discomfort, Dante was dead set on making him _really_ squirm.

Now, it was the following day, and the youth resigned himself to his fate. From the scowl on his face, Dante could tell the younger man felt he'd gotten the shortest straw. Little did he know, Lady would suffer a lot, in her own _special_ way.

Dante had known Lady for years; this challenge would not be easy on her. Before the 48 hours was done, he was sure she'd be flopped on the couch, bemoaning the horrid plotline on the television set, and gagging at every disgustingly sweet bit of dialogue that came with it.

Returning to the task at hand, Dante motioned for Nero to turn around. Laughing as the youth let out a growl, he zipped up the back of the shirt the kid was wearing.

Well, _shirt_ didn't quite cover it; it was a black and red strapless bustier, complete with frills. In addition to the bustier, Nero wore a frilly white skirt, complete with cream coloured laced, knee-high boots.

To add insult to injury, Dante had also put make-up on the kid's face. Peacock blue eye shadow was layered on thick, reaching Nero's silvery eyebrows. Black eyeliner accented his upper eyelids, with fake eyelashes glued on for good measure. A deep pink blush graced his cheeks, and of course, the pièce de résistance, blood red lipstick.

The wounded scowl on Nero's face only caused Dante to double over, succumbing to hoarse laughter.

When his mirth subsided to giggles, Nero let out an exasperated sigh. "Do I really have to go out _all _day like this?"

"Afraid so, kid." Dante chuckled, grabbing the digital camera from the corner of his desk, and snapping a bunch of pictures before Nero even had time to react.

Ignoring the youth's indignant "Hey!" Dante scrolled through the pictures, grinning all the while.

"These will do nicely." He drawled.

"What do you mean? For what?" Nero's voice had taken on an edge of desperation, his eyes widening exponentially, the longer it took for Dante to answer.

"Incentive," Dante answered coyly, "gotta keep that smart mouth of yours in check, somehow."

Nero's face fell. "You're blackmailing me?"

"Yup."

"On top of everything else I'm going to suffer through with this…you're blackmailing me." It was no longer a question, but a deadpan affirmation.

"You got it, kid."

After a moment, Nero opened his mouth. "Dante, please-"

"Ah ah," Dante chided, wagging a finger at Nero mockingly, "no more begging, kid. Deal with the cards you've been dealt."

Nero actually whimpered at this statement; from the anguished expression on the younger man's face, he knew Dante had used the analogy purposely.

Thinking he'd salted those particular wounds enough, he strode over to his desk, and picked up the phone. "Well, now that that's settled, there's a former orphan girl to invite over."

* * *

The moment the pre-teen sauntered into the _Devil May Cry_ office, her eyes fell on Nero. Her mouth hung open, her blue eyes widening in shock. Then came the giggles; the giggles gave way to chuckles, which gave way to full-blown hysterical laughter.

Wiping the mirth from her eyes, she smiled up at Nero apologetically.

"I'm sorry," she gasped, around a renewed wave of giggling, "This is just too much."

Dante watched from his high-backed chair, his feet propped up on their usual spot on his desk. He took note of Nero's face, the youth's frown deepening with each one of Patty's giggles.

"So, this is all because you lost a game of poker to _Dante?_" the girl couldn't hide the surprise in her voice. Her gaze met the legendary devil hunter's, a single eyebrow arched inquiringly.

"Who knew, right?" Dante declared, clapping a hand onto his desk, conveying his own amusement.

Nero grumbled under his breath, and decided to go sit on the couch with his mutual victim. Lady didn't even have the heart to laugh at the white-haired young man; not when her own fate hung in the balance.

"So, what does Lady have to do?" Patty asked, approaching Dante's desk.

The half devil snickered. "Oh, nothing much. She just has to be nice to me for 48 hours, or else…"

Patty cast a sidelong glance at Lady, noting the female devil hunter's resigned expression.

"Or else what?" Patty prompted, returning her gaze to Dante.

"Or, she has to watch all of the _Twilight movies_, back to back, right there on that couch-with me keeping an eye on her. After all, I don't want her falling asleep, or anything."

He let out a chuckle, watching as Patty's jaw dropped.

After a moment, the blonde girl covered her mouth with a hand, trying to conceal her own amusement. "Oh Dante, that _is _cruel!"

Dante leaned forward conspiratorially, motioning with his hand for Patty to come closer. When she complied, he cupped his hand around her ear, his mouth an inch from the lobe.

"I'll get the whole thing on video for you _when_ she cracks, if you do me one little favour." His whispers tickled her ear, but she nodded, and listened intently.

Clapping both hands over her mouth to keep from laughing, she nodded her agreement.

Casting a look at the miserable duo on his couch, Dante grinned wickedly. They had both noticed the exchange, but unable to hear, wore expressions of bewilderment and fear.

_Of course, even if they had heard, they'd look much the same; perhaps even more so… _Dante grinned to himself.

Passing the digital camera to Patty, he indicated the 'record' function. The girl giggled, and sauntered over to Nero.

"Hey Nero, I'm in the mood for some ice cream," Patty declared cheerfully, "Let's go together."

Nero cast an angry look at Dante, only succeeding in causing the devil hunter to erupt into another fit of laughter.

Grumbling, the younger man got up from the couch, looking at Lady in despair. "Good luck." He told her, his voice solemn.

Lady nodded back at him. "You, too."

With that, Patty skipped over to the double doors, smiling as she held them open for Nero. Reluctantly, the youth stepped out into the bright sunlight, the doors closing with a resounding _clang._

Dante smirked, and looked over at Lady. "Looks like it's just you and me, hot stuff."

* * *

When Nero and Patty returned, Dante greeted them enthusiastically.

"So, how did it go, kid? Did you manage to land a date?"

Nero gritted his teeth, but said nothing.

"No dates," Patty reported, "but quite a few wolf-whistles." She handed the camera back to Dante, and turned to Nero.

The white-haired youth wore a disgruntled expression, not even meeting her gaze.

"I'm really sorry, Nero." Patty said to him, grasping his Devil Bringer between both of her own hands. "I kind of owed Dante a favour. I hope there are no hard feelings."

Staring down at the innocent blue orbs that were Patty's eyes, Nero exhaled.

"No hard feelings," he replied, ruffling her hair, "it's not _your_ fault." He looked pointedly at Dante, earning a look of smug satisfaction for his efforts.

A loud groan punctuated the silence, all three sets of eyes falling on Lady. The female devil hunter was slumped on the sofa, her head in her hands.

Both Patty and Nero looked at Dante. The devil hunter grinned in reply.

"When did…?" Patty began, Dante cutting her off.

"About three hours after you guys left." He replied, laughter in his voice. "Don't worry, it's recording right now."

He indicated the camcorder, resting on its tripod next to the television set.

"Are you really going to make her watch _all_ of them?" Patty whispered.

"Nah, even I'm not _that_ heartless." Dante chortled. "Once this one is over, I'll cut her some slack."

Nero grumbled, a sour expression darkening his face.

Taking notice of this, Dante clapped a hand on the youth's shoulder.

"Okay, kid. You've suffered enough. Go clean up," the half devil gestured to the upstairs, where Nero's clothes awaited him, "and tell you what. To make up for some of the humiliation you suffered, I'll give you a little something."

Instantly intrigued, Nero's eyes brightened. "Oh, yeah? And what would that be?"

Dante leaned closer, his voice barely a whisper. "When Lady leaves, you can watch the video of her 'critique' of _Twilight_ with us later."

The elder hunter watched the youth, noting his facial expressions going from thoughtful to overly cheerful. After all, hadn't it been Lady's fault that he had gone along with the wager, in the first place? She had _assured_ Nero that Dante wouldn't win, and he had paid a high price for listening to her.

Seeing the justification in the kid's eyes, Dante only smirked. As the kid headed up the stairs to change, he turned, noticing Patty grinning at him knowingly.

"If I know anything about you, there's more to this than you're letting on." She said in an undertone, as to not draw attention to either of them.

Dante shrugged, a lopsided grin gracing his face.

"I just can't fool you, little lady." He winked playfully.

After all, he hadn't said anything about the video of Nero…he was sure Lady would get a real kick out of it, later on.


	14. Chapter 14: Smugness

_**Hello, all! Sorry that it's been a few weeks since my last update. Had some vacation time. But, I'm back!**_

_**Now, this is a Dante and Nero chapter; it's silly as all heck, but I hope you'll all still like it. Please R&R. :)**_

**Disclaimer: I do not own Devil May Cry, or any of the characters; they are the property of Capcom. This Fanfiction is purely for enjoyment; no profit is made from this.**

* * *

_**Smugness**_

"Shut up, kid." Dante growled, glaring up at the younger man with as much venom as he could muster.

This only served to fuel Nero's laughter more. He doubled over, clutching his sides as a fresh wave of giggles consumed him.

Dante groaned inwardly. _Why did I agree to sparring practice?_

Bracing his elbows against the dirt-laden ground, he pushed himself up, standing painfully. Just how exactly, had he let the kid get the drop on him?

One minute, he was parrying a thrust Nero made with Red Queen, the sound of steel-on-steel ringing throughout the forest as Rebellion met the modified durandal…and the next, Dante was knocked off his feet with a low sweeping kick he hadn't even seen coming!

Was age catching up to the renowned devil hunter, after all?

"What's the matter, old man? I didn't knock your dentures out, did I?" Nero's voice was thick as he half choked back his mirth.

Dante frowned at him, feeling his jaw twitch.

Was he this overbearing, any time he'd won a sparring match against the younger man?

Letting out a sigh, he pinched the upper part of his nose, his eyes closing as he fought back the urge to throttle Nero. Upon reflection, he had to conclude that yes, he was just as overbearing as the kid-perhaps even more so.

That didn't mean he had to like it, however.

Taking advantage of Nero's slightly incapacitated state, the half devil launched himself at the chuckling youth, tackling him to the leaf-covered ground.

A surprised yelp reached his ears, as the duo landed in a heap. Grinning, Dante wasted no time. Grabbing hold of Nero's right arm, he twisted the Devil Bringer behind his back, strategically placing his left knee in the small of the younger hunter's back, his right on the ground next to Nero's hip.

Nero's left arm was pinned beneath him, and with Dante's weight pressing down on him, there was no way for him to retaliate.

The youth let out a savage snarl, trying to no avail to look at his assailant. Dante smirked, adjusting his grip on his arm to make sure the white-haired youth didn't get the jump on him again.

"Get off of me, Dante!" Nero growled threateningly.

Dante only laughed, causing the younger man to growl again in frustration.

"No way, kid. You need to be taught a lesson in respecting your elders."

Nero let out a scoff, which quickly turned into a panicked yelp as Dante pushed painfully on his captive arm.

_Hmm…how can I make this even more interesting? _Dante mused, stroking his chin with his free hand.

Surveying his victim, a wicked chuckle escaped his throat.

Beneath him, he felt Nero stiffen; the kid knew that laugh all too well from their past 'playful' encounters.

Still chuckling, Dante knew that even if the kid was familiar with that laugh, he had _no_ idea what fate awaited him.

Switching Nero's pinned arm from his right to his left hand's grasp, the half devil reached down with his right hand, and started tickling his unprotected side, his fingers ruthlessly digging into Nero's ribcage.

The reaction was instantaneous. The younger hunter began laughing uncontrollably, trying to squirm away from the merciless fingers. With his arm twisted behind his back, and Dante pinning him firmly to the ground, it was all in vain.

_Ha! Guess the kid has a weak spot, after all._

"Stop!"

Dante knew the youth had meant for it to come out stern, even threatening; instead, it came out pleading, his voice cracking as laughter consumed him.

"And why would I want to do that, kid?" Dante taunted, still firmly gripping the Devil Bringer in one hand while continuing his tickle assault, his fingers spidering quickly up and down Nero's side.

An incoherent reply came from the youth, tears streaming down his face as his body continued to convulse with helpless laughter.

Dante slowed his attack, grinning smugly to himself. "What was that, kid? I couldn't hear you over your school-girl giggling."

Nero let out a frustrated growl, the sound changing to guffaws as Dante increased his tempo once again.

"Ah ah, none of that, now." Dante scolded. "If you want this to stop, you gotta prove to me you've learned your lesson."

Watching as a laughing Nero nodded his head weakly, Dante slowed the tickling once again.

"So kid, convince me; have you learned your lesson?"

"Yes…I'm…sorry…." Nero gasped, each word coming out between giggles.

"Are you, now? What are you sorry for?" Dante pressed, switching his tactic to random pokes along Nero's side with only his index finger.

"For…the...old man…jokes…"

"And?"

"For…laughing at you….please!"

"Bet you don't feel like laughing, anymore." Dante chuckled. "Now, what are the magic words?"

"I-I don't know…Aw, c'mon Dante…" That was as far as the younger hunter got; Dante began attacking with all of his fingers again, sending Nero into hysterics.

"The way I see it, you're in no position to bargain." Dante chuckled, tweaking each rib for good measure. Nero's laughter grew louder and hoarser, all sense of pride and dignity long forgotten.

"Please...please, no more…" he begged.

"Tell you what, kid." Dante replied, smirking as his fingers hit a particularly ticklish spot between two of Nero's ribs, eliciting another surprised guffaw. "Say 'Uncle', and I'll let you off for that 'dentures' remark."

He knew it would kill Nero to have to say it, but Dante was beyond mercy right now; his pride had suffered a heavy blow, with the kid's little stunt during their sparring match, and further still, when he decided to taunt the older hunter afterward.

As far as Dante was concerned, it was payback time!

Of course, there was more to it than that; Dante had grown fond of the youth, and even though he was uncertain as to how he and the kid were related, he had begun to feel rather fatherly toward Nero.

He refused to admit this to anyone,_ least_ of all Nero. If his father-figure complex came to light, he'd never hear the end of the "old man" cracks.

His fingers still playing up and down the younger hunter's ribs like an instrument, he grinned triumphantly as Nero said just what he wanted to hear.

"Okay, okay! Uncle…UNCLE!" He shouted through his laughter.

Honouring his word, Dante released his captive, and stood up. Crossing his arms over his chest, he did nothing to hide the smug expression on his face.

Nero stood slowly, clutching a stitch in his side. He panted for a few minutes, trying to catch his breath. His gaze finally met Dante's, his baby blues piercing the elder hunter's icy ones.

Dante noted a flicker of pleading deep within those orbs, warring with Nero's more stubborn side; his pride. His grin grew wider, causing the younger man's gaze to drop.

After a long silence, Nero looked at Dante again, his voice firm.

"No one can ever know of this. No one."

Dante shrugged nonchalantly, trying to keep his grin from getting any larger.

Nero visibly gulped. "I'm serious, Dante. If the others ever found out, I'd never hear the end of it."

Dante still said nothing, suddenly finding his hand to be the most interesting thing of all, as he studied his fingers, turning his hand over to examine his knuckles.

"Please, Dante!"

Unable to keep the façade up any longer, Dante chuckled. "Alright kid, relax. I'm just messin' with ya." He walked over to Nero, and clapped a hand on his shoulder.

Nero flinched, making Dante hide a smirk. Clearly the kid wasn't over how that same hand had just reduced him to a giggling, grovelling mass of flesh only moments before.

"You knock off those old man remarks for a bit-say, a _month_-and you have my word, no one will ever have to know about how I made you cry 'Uncle'. Fair enough?"

Nero narrowed his eyes at the half devil, and let out a resigned sigh. "Okay, you win. Deal."

He was getting off the hook easy; Dante knew that Nero was aware of this fact. The red-clad devil hunter could have demanded Nero never make another old man remark at his expense as long as he lived. He could have blackmailed the younger hunter into complete obedience; but, that wasn't his style.

Nero reminded him of himself when he was that age, only slightly more serious than Dante had been.

_Hell, he reminds me of me now. _Dante amended to himself, chuckling softly. _Besides, a month is a long time…_

Satisfied with his reasoning, Dante began the return voyage to the _Devil May Cry_ office, having had his fill of the "great outdoors" for the day; Nero trailed far behind him, the unmistakable air of shame and defeat surrounding him.

"What's the matter kid," he looked back, never breaking stride, "is this old man too fast for you?"

A scowl was the only reply he received.

_This is going to be a fun month, indeed…_


	15. Chapter 15: Revenge

**Hello everyone! I wanted to thank everyone who has reviewed, or added my DMC one-shot to their favourites. :) This chapter is a Dante and Lady one, focusing on Lady's humorous revenge against Dante.**

**What did Dante do to deserve such vengeance? Read it, and see. ;) I hope this is to your liking, and encourage all of my readers to review. What do you like? What needs work? Your feedback will be much appreciated.**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Devil May Cry. It is the property of Capcom, along with the characters within. This fanfiction is purely for enjoyment, and is non-profit. **

* * *

_**Revenge**_

Dante tried to hide the smirk on his face as Lady strode through the double doors of the _Devil May Cry_. He didn't know what prompted her visit, but guessing by her livid expression, it was something he'd get to laugh about later on-when she was no longer within earshot, that is.

"You've gone too far this time!" she shouted at him, slamming her hands down on the large desk. Her heterochromatic eyes narrowed as she looked down at him, her cheek twitching noticeably.

Letting out a sigh, Dante dropped the magazine he'd been 'reading', and folded his hands behind his head; his booted feet propped in their customary spot on the dark wooden desk.

"It's nice to see you too, Lady."

"Cut the crap, Dante." Lady glowered at him and leaned forward, unintentionally giving the half-devil a look at her ample bosom. "You have thirty seconds to explain yourself, before I lodge a bullet in your forehead."

"Wouldn't be the first time." He replied flippantly.

Sensing that she was in no mood for his more _charismatic_ nature-judging by the murderous look in her mismatched eyes-Dante threw his hands up in surrender.

"Alright, alright. What did I do this time?"

Lady growled savagely. "You _know_ what you did! Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kick your ass right now."

"Because you know if I actually gave it my all, you'd lose."

Dante reacted just in time, as Lady whipped out one of her many pistols. Jumping from his chair, he landed in a crouch behind it just as the front legs slammed down onto the hardwood floor.

Lady held her gun at full arm's length, her eyes boring into the devil hunter's own.

Glancing behind him, Dante noted that the bullet was lodged in one of the many demon skulls adorning the back wall-where his head had just been. The devil hunter let out a sigh of relief; not that it would have killed him, but it still would have hurt like hell!

"Hey, you know the rules Lady," he admonished her, and stood up. "No shooting in the shop."

He crossed his arms over his chest, his grin long gone, replaced with a stern frown.

Angry as Lady was, she wouldn't further disrespect his rules; not in his own shop. Letting out an exasperated sigh, she reluctantly put the pistol back in its holster.

"Fine. But you're still not off the hook," she hissed at him, "What _possessed_ you to put my phone number in every bathroom stall, at _every_ drinking establishment within the city?!"

A hearty laugh escaped the half devil, stopping short at the death glare he received.

"I completely forgot about that," he mused aloud, "I did that one about three months ago. Why are you just bringing it up, now?"

"You did that…_three months ago?_" Lady asked incredulously. Her left hand twitched, lowering toward her submachine gun.

Sensing that the female devil hunter was itching to take another shot at him, Dante took hold of her wrists, his grip gentle. "Yes, I did. Are you only _now_ getting prank calls?"

_Furthermore, how does she even know it was me who did it? _Dante mentally cursed, _I bet it was that one, weasel-eyed bartender! I knew he couldn't be trusted!_

"For the past week," Lady corrected, gritting her teeth. "And they haven't been 'prank' calls; every jerk who has called seems to be under the impression I run a sex hotline!"

Dante choked back the snicker rising in his throat, dismissing it as a cough. Lady looked at him skeptically, but the half devil kept up the air of innocence well.

"Hmm…I'd forgotten that I'd written 'Lady's twenty-four hour Sex Hotline'. Still, I wonder why it took until now for you to start getting the calls?"

"I don't care _why,_" Lady growled, wrenching her arms free from his grasp. "I want you to make it stop!"

"And what would my motivation be?" Dante inquired, studying one gloved hand absently.

Hearing the unmistakable _click _of a safety being removed, he looked back up, staring down the barrel of Lady's preferred pistol. "Ah, right." He muttered.

When Lady made no move to put the gun away, Dante let out a sigh. "Look, I'd love to help you, Lady. But, there is nothing I can do."

"You can remove my number from the establishments you left it in." she countered, shifting her stance.

"True," the half devil conceded, "But even if I do, I can't erase the number from the minds or speed dials of every man who jotted the number down on the back of his hand."

Lady swore under her breath, and holstered the gun. Dante mentally let out a sigh of relief, his hands dropping to his sides; he hadn't even been aware he'd been holding them up.

Silence ensued, both the human and the half-devil lost in their musings. Dante cast a cursory glance at Lady; the female devil hunter wasn't even looking at him. Her right hand absently played with her ammo belt, her left hand gripping Kalina-Ann's shoulder strap. Her eyes were unfocused, though she wore a deep frown. It was obvious to the red-clad warrior that he wasn't out of the woods just yet.

Lady could be very forgiving, when she chose to be. But somehow, Dante doubted this would be one of those times.

_Great,_ he mentally griped, _looks like I'll need to sleep with one eye open for the next year, or so._

He sighed, startling Lady from her own thoughts. Red and blue eyes penetrated his own baby blues, an uncomfortable chill coursing through his veins-not that he showed any outward signs of it, or would ever admit it. If there was one thing Dante was good at-aside from his trade-it was the ability to maintain a good poker face under pressure.

When he failed to quail under her stare, Lady huffed. "I guess there's nothing for it, then. I'll have to change my number."

This time, Dante couldn't hide his bewilderment. "That's it?" He cocked an eyebrow, crossing his arms over his chest as he shifted into a more comfortable stance.

Lady frowned back at him. "Yes, that's it. What else would there be?"

"You're just going to let this go? No hard feelings, no retaliation-nothing?" Dante let his voice drip with skepticism; he didn't trust her to drop the ordeal, and he wanted her to know that.

"And _how_ exactly, would I retaliate?" Lady snorted, smirking. "You don't have common sense enough to be embarrassed or afraid of anything I could do to you."

Dante wasn't going to bother correcting her; truth be told, there were a great many things Lady could do that would cause great misery for the renowned son of Sparda.

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry Lady." Dante extended his hand, giving her his best guilt-stricken expression. "It was just a prank I took too far, I guess. Am I forgiven?"

He looked at her from beneath thick, dark lashes, a small smile upon his lips.

Lady scoffed, smacking his hand away. "Oh, not by a long shot." She retorted, unable to conceal her own grin. "We both know you're so full of it right now. But, I'll let you off the hook this one time."

Dante chuckled sheepishly, inwardly congratulating himself on dodging a bullet. As Lady turned to leave however, he caught sight of the grin on her face.

_I know that smile,_ he gulped, his eyes following Lady as she disappeared through the double doors. It was the same expression she wore when she was hunting her prey. _Something tells me this is far from over._

* * *

**One week later….**

Dante groaned, rolling onto his side, away from the shaft of sunlight pouring through his bedroom window. If there was one thing that didn't go well with hangovers, it was early mornings; especially sunny, very _bright_ early mornings.

Just as he was contemplating going back to sleep, he was disturbed by the ringing of the telephone in the shop below.

Muttering under his breath, he got out of bed, and made his way downstairs in only his boxers. Reaching the shrilly ringing phone, he picked up the receiver, and held it to his ear.

"Devil May Cry." He greeted, stifling a yawn.

"_Is this the renowned devil hunter, Dante?"_ asked a timid female's voice on the other end.

"That would greatly depend on who's calling." Dante replied.

"_I would tell you more, but I'm currently being watched," _the woman stated, her voice strained, _"is there any way you can meet me_ _at the Green Leaf Café in two hours?"_

"I suppose I can do that," Dante declared, "until then…'bye."

Hanging the phone up, the half devil decided now was as good a time as any to shower, and get ready for his upcoming mission.

Taking the stairs two at a time, he reached the upstairs bathroom, and began running the water. Once it was just the way he liked it, he stepped into the shower, letting the hot water ease the tension in his shoulders.

Letting out a sigh, he closed his eyes, savouring the sensation of the water cascading down his body. After a couple of minutes, he grabbed the shampoo bottle, squeezing a dollop of spice-scented cleanser into his hand, and began lathering his silvery-white locks with fervor.

Once he'd finished cleaning himself up, he wrapped a towel around his waist, and stepped out of the shower.

A thought struck him as he lathered shaving gel onto his jawline; the voice on the other side of the phone had seemed so familiar, but Dante couldn't quite place it.

_Perhaps it's a former client,_ he mused, running his razor from just below his left sideburn, down to his jawline. _That must be it. I must have gotten her out of a scrape before, and now, she needs help again. And who better to call than me? _

He grinned at this; he knew, regardless of whether he'd done a good job or not, a former client would have limited options in picking a devil hunter. There were only three in the immediate area, two of which spent a lot of time out of town.

Thus, whoever the client may be, they were stuck with Dante.

Once finished with his shaving, Dante headed to his bedroom, and threw open his closet.

* * *

Letting out a strangled cry, he gaped at the contents of his closet.

_No. No no no no no….this can't be happening!_

Where his array of black T-shirts and leather chaps should have been, there was only tie-dye and hot pink bell-bottoms.

"No…this isn't possible." he muttered, tearing through his closet in desperation. Where had all of his clothes gone, and where had all of this junk come from?

_Lady._

He covered his face with one hand, taking slow, deep breaths to calm himself.

_She can't have gotten all of my clothing._ He reasoned, and ran from the room, rushing down the stairs to check around the rest of the shop. He checked through the couch cushions, overturned the armchair, even checked all of the cupboards…not a single article of his original clothing was anywhere to be seen.

_Okay, so she got a hold of my clothes. Surely she didn't replace my coat and my boots, too? At least with those, I can hide the other stuff…somewhat._

Frowning, he walked over to the other side of the shop, where the coat tree stood. He kept his eyes squeezed shut, dreading what he might see. Opening them, he let out a pained groan.

Clearly, Lady had thought of _everything._

Hanging from one of the tree's arms was a white, pleather-of all things- trench coat, with gold embroidery around the pockets and lapels. Sitting at the base of the coat tree, was a pair of knee-high, leopard print boots, complete with fur lining.

Panic seizing him, Dante whirled around to look at the grandfather clock in the far corner of the room.

_Shit! I have to meet that woman in fifteen minutes!_

Worse still, Dante had no way of reaching Lady; she hadn't yet given him her new phone number. He had no way of pleading with her to give him his stuff back before meeting his client.

Not that the half devil was prone to begging; he had a reputation of ruthlessness and savagery to uphold, after all.

But oh _Sparda_, did he ever want to drop to his knees and declare her the winner, now! Especially if it meant upholding his reputation in front of the clients; the hell with his loss of pride in front of Lady!

There was nothing he could do now, but face the music.

_I hope this client is desperate, _he thought sourly, _otherwise, I might find myself out of a job…_

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, Dante strode into the Green Leaf Café, doing his best to ignore the stares and giggles of the establishment's patrons.

Casting a glance around the room, he barely concealed his surprise as his gaze landed on Lady.

The dark-haired woman grinned at him knowingly, motioning with her finger for him to come over.

Frowning, he slid into the booth. Glowering, he tapped his fingers on the table impatiently, waiting for Lady to compose herself. The female devil hunter choked back a laugh, and took a long swig from the soda in front of her.

"So, it was you on the other end of the phone," Dante said finally, sighing through gritted teeth. "I should have known."

"I'm quite the voice actor, if I do say so, myself." Lady laughed, "More importantly, it seems your sense of style has improved."

Dante grunted, his gaze dropping to the table. "So, this was for the sex hotline gag?" he prompted, glancing up at the still-chuckling woman.

"That's right."

"If I tell you how much I suffered just on the trip here, would that make us even?"

"Maybe."

"I suffered…a lot. I'm pretty sure there were pictures taken."

Lady laughed at this. "It serves you right." She smirked at him, and propped her elbows on the table, resting her chin in her hands.

After what felt like an eternity of her studying him, Dante spoke up again. "I don't suppose I can convince you to give me my wardrobe back, before you put me out of business?"

"I don't think you've suffered enough to make us even." Lady countered, grinning impishly at the devil hunter, as his mask of indifference slipped.

"C'mon, Lady." Dante cajoled, "How long do you expect me to wear this crap? No one's going to take a devil hunter seriously, in this get up."

Lady shrugged, and leaned back in her seat. "More work for me." She replied casually.

"If I don't work, I don't get paid," Dante declared, "if I don't get paid, I don't eat, and I could lose the shop. Would you really put me through all of that?" A hint of pleading crept into his voice, much to his dismay. He'd been trying so hard to remain matter-of-fact, too…

_Damn it…_

Lady fiddled with her gloves for a moment, her lips twitching. Clearly, the desperation in his voice hadn't gone unnoticed by her.

"Lady, please." Dante let out a resigned sigh, his head drooping. Man, did he hate it when she got the upper hand. He'd never hear the end of it; he just knew it…

"Oh, alright. Even I'm not _that_ heartless." She rapped him on the forehead playfully with her knuckles, Dante quirking an eyebrow at the gesture.

Sliding out of the booth, Lady motioned for the half devil to follow her. "Come on. I have all of your stuff at my place."

"But, that's across town!" Dante stated, aghast. "Can't you just bring it all back to my place?"

"Hey, there's a lot of it," Lady countered, "It took me three trips to get it all out of your room while you were asleep!"

"Three trips? How is that possible?" Dante asked, ignoring the collective chuckles of the Café's customers, "I don't have that much stuff!"

"I had to move it by speed bike, remember?" Lady grinned. The female devil hunter turned on her heel, and strode out of the café, Dante following reluctantly.

Lady mounted her bike, Dante following suit on his own.

One thing was for certain; by the end of all of this, he would never, ever pull a prank on Lady again.

_So much for having something to laugh about later…_


	16. Chapter 16: Smile

**Hello everyone! I thank those of you who continue to support this one-shot with your reviews, follows, and favourites. I would also like to give a special thank you to Satanic Park of Madness, for whom I must credit with the inspiration of this chapter. **

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Devil May Cry. It, along with its characters, belong to Capcom. I make no profit from this; this fanfiction is purely for enjoyment.**

* * *

_**Smile**_

It was yet another slow, dreary day in the _Devil May Cry_ office; the sole occupant of the establishment sat with his leather red and black boots propped up on his large wooden desk, leaning back on the hind legs of his high-backed chair.

For once, the room was relatively clean; the usual assortment of cans and pizza boxes that often littered the shop had been taken out the night before. The wooden floor gleamed with a fresh coat of floor wax, the coffee table in the sitting area polished to a warm mahogany glow. On the opposite side of the room, the vintage jukebox quietly played a slow, heavy tune, the ceiling fan overhead making slow, lazy circles.

Sighing, the renowned devil hunter, Dante, picked up the first photograph from the stack on the edge of his desk. Looking at it, he smiled; it was from his day at the beach with his fellow devil hunters only a few weeks ago, along with Kyrie, Patty, and Morrison.

His gaze roved from left to right, drinking the image in. Trish and Lady stood back to back in their swimwear, both donning a cheesy 'Charlie's Angels' pose, pretending their hands were pistols. Both the short-haired brunette and the golden-haired demoness were laughing, their smiles wide and generous. Next to them, Kyrie smiled brightly at the camera, her hands clasped in front of her, her red hair out of its usual ponytail, fluttering in the wind, the shy woman wearing a one-piece swimsuit that covered her well.

Dante chuckled, as his eyes landed on Nero, standing next to his lady fair. Dante had the younger man in a headlock, the youth wearing a pained expression from the sunburn that the half devil's arm was pressed against on the back of his neck. Nero's left arm grasped at Dante's upper arm, his right arm-the Devil Bringer, as it had been dubbed long ago-glowing a brilliant blue in the centre of the red scales encasing it. The clawed hand was trapped between his side, and Dante's. The elder hunter was grinning broadly in the picture, his teeth gleaming brightly.

Chuckling again, his eyes fell on Patty next to him; the now thirteen-year-old was pointing and laughing at the duo, her other hand braced on her knee in her weakened mirth-filled state, tears at the corners of her eyes. Morrison was at her side, a hand on the young girl's shoulder, the mustached man's eyes crinkling in amusement at the antics of the others.

Behind them, the ocean rippled a brilliant green-blue, a few white clouds dotting the sky, only partially obscuring the red, setting sun. It was quite literally picture perfect.

Setting the picture down, Dante grinned, his eyes closed as he leaned back in his chair once again.

Yes, that day had been full of laughs; the half devil was glad the blonde girl had talked him into going, after all. It wasn't often that Dante indulged in such ordinary, everyday shenanigans, and at the start, he'd dug in his heels rather stubbornly, claiming that going to the beach was a waste of time.

He'd been wrong; he could admit that, now. Chuckling again at the memory, Dante drifted off to sleep, a contented smile on his face.

* * *

**Five days earlier…**

"Come on Dante, please?" Patty leaned across the large desk, her sapphire eyes wide and pleading.

"No way," Dante grunted, flipping through his magazine uninterestedly, "going to the beach isn't exactly my thing."

"Well, _make_ it your thing." Patty countered, frowning. "You never want to do anything fun, outside of work."

"That's not true." The devil hunter protested, putting the magazine down, grinning lopsidedly at the thirteen-year-old.

"Drinking at the bar nearly every night doesn't count." Patty huffed, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.

"It does for me." Dante chuckled, noting the girl's increasing frustration as her jaw clenched. "What do you need me around for, anyway? Everybody else is going."

"Exactly," Patty retorted, walking around the desk to stand at Dante's left side, "Please, come with us! It won't be the same without you."

At this, she actually pouted. Ever since the incident with Sid three years ago, Patty had grown to appreciate Dante's company more. True, she didn't spend every waking moment at the office, as she once had; but perhaps, Dante concluded, it was all the more reason for her to want a special outing with him and the others. Clearly, Patty missed the fun-filled days long passed. Dante knew she was happy to have her mother in her life, but that didn't mean she'd forget about everyone else who had ever mattered to her-and he knew that he was at the top of the young girl's list.

Startled out of his revelation as Patty grasped his arm with both of her hands, Dante glanced up at her. Her eyes held his gaze, beseeching him to reconsider.

Relenting, Dante heaved a weary sigh, Patty smiling broadly before the words were even out of his mouth.

"Alright, I'll go." The half devil grumbled, though he grinned just as broadly as the teenaged girl. "But only because I'm nice to women and children-which you're technically both."

Patty giggled, whooping triumphantly. "Thank you, Dante! You won't regret it, I swear!"

She hugged him tightly, the devil hunter laughing as the girl prattled on about all the stuff she needed to grab before they could make their trip to the beach.

"I'll get everyone to meet here in a half hour." she called over her shoulder as she ran out the door. Stopping with the left door propped wide open, she beamed back at Dante. "I'll take care of everything else, but don't forget to bring sunblock!"

With that, the double doors closed, leaving Dante shaking his head in amusement.

_Guess I'd better dig my old swim trunks out of my closet…_

* * *

**Forty-five minutes later…**

Dante brought his right arm up, shielding his eyes from the bright sun overhead. Casting a glance around the sandy beach, he noticed it was relatively deserted. The odd couple dotted the sandy expanse of the beach, lying on beach towels, some of them making out. Further down, a group of people were playing a game of beach volleyball.

Sweeping his gaze to the opposite stretch, a few groups of parents with their young children played in the shallow surf, the kids shrieking and laughing.

Satisfied that he wouldn't have to deal with too many people, Dante let out a slow breath, relaxing the tension he'd felt building in his shoulders since they first embarked on this journey.

He had to admit; it was nice getting out of his usual garb, for a change. It was a hot, muggy day-the perfect kind of day to be in the water, in only his red and black swim trunks.

Glancing at his entourage, he smirked. Kyrie was lathering a heavy dollop of sunblock onto Nero's back. The white-haired youth was so fair-skinned he could get sunburn on the most overcast of days.

"What is that, SPF one-hundred and ten?" Dante joked, earning a scowl from Nero as Kyrie giggled, her eyes dropping in the customary shy manner of hers.

"You're a laugh riot, old man." Nero shot back, his upper lip quirking into a grin. "We'll see who's laughing once the chicken fight begins."

Tightening his blue swim trunks, Nero took the bottle of sunblock from Kyrie, and began applying it to her back. The red-haired woman wore a light blue one-piece swimsuit, complete with a pale blue sarong, dotted with a pink flower pattern.

Off to his left, Patty was spraying on her own suntan lotion; the young girl wore a modest two-piece swimsuit that resembled a tank top with shorts, both pieces pink with a white butterfly pattern.

Standing off to his right, Lady and Trish set up the three beach blankets Patty had brought, and pegged the beach umbrella in between the first two. Trish wore a black stringed bikini, while Lady wore a green camouflaged one with buckles; both women showcasing their well-endowed bodies, without flaunting them.

Next to the beach blankets, Morrison was already lounging in the folding chair he'd brought, wearing dark sunglasses and white swim trunks, his trademark hat half covering his face. He had a book in hand, though judging by the loud snoring, he was already fast asleep.

Dante laughed, shaking his head at the sight.

_Leave it to Morrison to be the 'old man' of our motley little crew._ Chuckling at the reference he'd made, Dante clapped his hands together, drawing everyone but Morrison's attention.

"Okay, are you all ready for this game of chicken?" he laughed loudly. "Whoever's my partner, remember; you'll get to bask in my greatness, as I lead us to victory!"

He spread his arms wide with this proclamation, earning a mixture of appreciative giggles and groans from his 'audience'.

"I think I'll sit this one out," Kyrie giggled, "I've never been very good at these kinds of things."

"Me too," Trish smiled as Dante pouted, "I'm going to work on my tan."

"Oh, fine." Dante grumbled half-heartedly, "but one of you has to take pictures!"

Kyrie nodding her agreement, and both she and Trish headed over to the comfort of the beach blankets, both women chatting and laughing on the way.

"I'll be Nero's partner!" Patty exclaimed, grabbing the white-haired youth by the hand, leading him toward the water.

"I guess that leaves you and me, hot stuff." Dante winked at Lady, the female devil hunter rolling her eyes with a groan.

"Fine, but don't pull anything funny." She scowled at him, her mismatched eyes glinting dangerously.

Dante put a hand to his muscular bare chest, his mouth falling open as he feigned hurt. "I would never do such a thing!" he cried, allowing his eyes to widen innocently.

Lady grinned, a snort of laughter escaping her.

"Hey you two, are we going to do this, or what?" Patty shouted from the shallows, her hands cupped around her mouth. Nero stood next to her, his arms crossed, a self-satisfied grin on his face.

"Yeah old man, pick up the pace, if you can." He chimed in. "Or are you afraid you'll lose?"

"What a punk," Dante chuckled, "Come on, Lady. Let's teach them a lesson."

"Right behind you."

* * *

Once the four of them were in the water, Dante lifted Lady up onto his shoulders, the short-haired woman gasping in surprise as the devil hunter's hands rested on her upper thighs. Dante grinned to himself; Lady wasn't used to this level of closeness with him, and even though there were no romantic feelings between the two, he could just imagine the self-conscious blush she currently wore.

Patty already sat astride Nero's shoulders, the younger man gripping her legs firmly to keep her from falling, the blonde girl's ponytail bobbing behind her, a look of determination on her face.

"Are you ready?" Dante locked eyes with Nero, both men stared each other down, a competitive gleam lighting their eyes.

"Bring it on!" Nero replied, grinning wryly. His right arm flashed brightly as he settled into a playful stance, Patty giving a surprised yelp as she felt the power thrum through her knee.

Looking at Lady, both the girl and the woman giggled, and with that, their respective mounts jerked forward.

Patty and Lady locked hands, both laughing as they pushed, trying to best the other. Despite her age and size, Patty was holding her own really well against the female devil hunter.

Unfortunately for her, Dante was the stronger of the two men, and on top of that, had a trick up his sleeve. Wrapping his forearm over both of Lady's legs to keep her secure, the half devil reached forward with his left hand, and started tickling the bottom of Patty's right foot.

The thirteen-year-old shrieked with laughter, doing her best to kick his hand away.

"Hey, no fair…that's cheating!" Patty giggled. It was apparent that it was getting harder for her to hold up against Lady's strength, with the half devil distracting her like this.

"All's fair in love and war!" Dante quipped, laughing as Patty renewed her efforts to knock his hand away.

"Is that so, old man?" Nero challenged, backing off so that Patty could catch her second wind.

"You heard me right." Dante chuckled, steadying Lady atop his shoulders.

"Okay…then how about _this?_" Nero punctuated the last word, as he released Patty's right leg, and used his Devil Bringer to grab Dante by the nose.

Momentarily blinded by the pain of having his nose pinched so hard, Dante stepped backward…and tripped over a sand bar.

With Lady's weight on his shoulders and Patty pushing forward, the devil hunter lost his balance. Dante and Lady fell back, Patty and Nero nearly falling on top of them from their forward momentum.

Water engulfed the losing pair, Dante sputtering to the surface. Not too far behind him, he could hear Lady coughing as she too, surfaced. She swam forward, joining Dante once again.

Shaking wet strands of hair from his eyes, Dante looked up to see the twin smirks of Nero and Patty.

"Serves you right for cheating." Patty giggled, and stuck her tongue out at him.

"What was that about _basking in your greatness_?" Nero laughed, and offered a hand to the elder hunter.

Dante took the hand, a wicked grin stretching across his face.

"Oh no, don't even think about it, old ma-" The younger devil hunter didn't get any further, as Dante yanked him down into the water, a yelping Patty along with him.

Water sprayed up all around him, cascading down his face. As both Nero and Patty surfaced, he bellowed with laughter, Lady laughing along with him at the sour expressions they wore.

"Serves you _both_ right, for being so smug." Lady declared, carefully dodging a splash from Nero.

"That was a dirty trick, Dante." Patty accused, narrowing her blue eyes.

When the half devil only continued to laugh, the blonde girl and youth exchanged a look, and without a word, tackled Dante into the water, playfully pushing him under. They were careful not to actually hurt him though, allowing him to surface, sputtering and laughing.

Lady shook her head, grinning as she rolled her eyes at the trio's antics.

"Well, I don't know about you guys, but I've worked up quite an appetite." She said over her shoulder, as she headed back to shore. "You guys coming, or what?"

Looking at each other, the three of them laughed, and followed Lady over to the beach blankets, the brunette flopping down next to Trish, the blonde smiling in greeting.

Kyrie held the camera out to Dante, smiling brightly up at him. "I got quite a few good shots," she remarked, "You should get these developed."

Dante took the camera graciously, grinning back at her. "When the day is done, I just might."

Walking over to the cooler that Patty had brought, Dante opened it up, and took out an assortment of sandwiches and salads, passing them out to each one of his comrades. Finding soda in the bottom, he handed these out as well, surprising a still-sleeping Morrison as he pressed the cold can against his bare shoulder.

Grumbling into wakefulness, the older man accepted the soda, doing his best to ignore Dante's quiet chuckles.

Casting a cursory glance at the others to make sure they all had food and drink in hand, the half devil sat down with a satisfied grunt, and dug into his roast beef sandwich.

* * *

Once the group had satiated their hunger, they decided to partake in a game of beach volleyball, and sought out one of the many available nets gracing the beach.

"You coming, Morrison?" Patty called back to the older man, as he continued to lounge in his chair.

"Yeah, come on Morrison." Dante chided, laughing. "Don't be such a grumpy old man."

"Oh, so that's where you got your lessons from." Nero declared, clapping Dante on the back playfully.

"Oh, you are _hilarious_," Dante retorted, smirking "No really kid; you should do stand up."

Morrison chuckled, and shook his head. "Nah, I think I'm good right here," he lifted his soda can and book for emphasis, "I'll just keep an eye on our spot."

Both Nero and Dante scoffed, and headed over to the rest of the group.

"Okay, let's divide into teams." Trish declared.

"How about you guys play us?" A new voice came from behind them, causing Patty to gasp in surprise.

Turning around, Dante snorted in disgust. A group of six people-two girls, and four guys-stood together, all of them looking like they'd come out of a magazine.

"So, how about it?" Said what Dante assumed was the leader. The well-built guy ran a hand through his short black hair, his green eyes locking with Dante's. "Or are you guys scared?"

The two girls tittered behind their hands, their eyes on Kyrie in her one-piece.

Kyrie blushed, her gaze dropping to her feet. Dante frowned; there was no reason for the red-haired maiden to be embarrassed by such classless broads. Hearing a low growl beside him, Dante looked at Nero. The snide girls' laughter hadn't gone unnoticed by the kid either, and judging by the dangerous glow from his Devil Bringer, he wasn't handling it well.

"Easy, kid." Dante muttered, so only Nero could hear. "We don't need this turning into a fight. Follow my lead."

Huffing, Nero nodded almost imperceptibly, giving Dante his co-operation.

"You got a problem, little girls?"

Sadly, it didn't sound like Lady would be so easy to convince.

Sighing, Dante looked over at the female devil hunter, noting that Trish had a firm grip on her friend's shoulders.

"Oh, no problem at all," said the shorter of the two girls, flipping her black hair over her shoulder. "Her swimsuit is just adorable…for a nun."

"And what's with her freak of a boyfriend's arm? Didn't anyone tell him it's not Halloween?" said the other girl, running a hand through her own long, wavy brown locks.

With that, she and her friend erupted into giggles, a couple of the guys laughing along with them.

"Why don't you put your money where your mouth is?" Patty snapped at them.

Dante gave the thirteen-year-old credit; she had a lot of spark. After all she'd been through, the blonde girl wasn't about to back down from anyone.

"Okay little girl," the sole skinhead of the group laughed, "Name your terms."

Before either Patty could answer, or Nero could fly into a rage, Dante interjected.

"It's simple, chuckleheads. If we win, you vacate the beach, and as a reward for your co-operation, I won't let my hot-headed friend here," he gestured at Lady, the female devil hunter still struggling in Trish's grasp, "beat up your pretty little girlfriends."

The four men exchanged looks, the two girls frowning as they finally realized the potential danger they were in.

"Okay," the leader said slowly, "and if we win?"

"We'll leave, in which I'll restrain my other friend here from beating _you_ up in defense of both his and his girlfriend's, honour."

"What if we don't agree to your terms?" One of the other guys spoke up now; with long wavy blonde hair, a rugged build, and clearly too much time spent in a tanning bed, he reeked of a superiority complex. He sneered at Dante, challenging him with his dark brown eyes.

"Then I cut out the middleman, and let both of my friends do exactly what they're just _itching_ to do." Dante chuckled darkly, catching a look of deep appreciation from both Nero and Lady out of the corner of his eye.

"Really, it's no big deal." Kyrie protested softly. "I don't want to cause any trouble…"

"Oh, but it is a big deal, my dear Kyrie." Dante said suavely. "They could have left it at a game of volleyball, but they chose to be rude to both you and Nero. Bad attitudes don't go unpunished; not by me."

"Don't worry about a thing, Kyrie." Patty gripped the red-haired woman's hand reassuringly. "Just leave it to Dante. He'll set things right."

Smiling, Dante turned back to the group of challengers. "So, how about it? Win or lose, you get off scot-free."

Giving them another minute to discuss it amongst themselves, Dante put a reassuring hand on Nero's shoulder. "Just keep your cool, kid. If we win this, we'll get to stick around, and have more fun. If we do that, their insults will be nothing but a distant memory."

"Alright, but I still don't like it." Nero ground out between his teeth. "There was no reason for them to treat Kyrie that way."

"I know how you feel, kid. We all do," he gestured to the indignant expressions of their other female companions. "But if we win this, we get to have a good time, while knowing we wiped those smug expressions right off of their faces."

Nero grinned at this, his teeth gleaming wickedly at the half devil's statement.

"Okay, you got a bet!" the leader finally piped up, drawing the attention of both devil hunters.

"Alright then," Dante chuckled, "and may the best group win!"

* * *

A mere fifteen minutes later, Dante and the others were declared the winners. With a final spike from Lady, they won the game, ten to one; Lady nearly hitting the taller of the two girls with the ball.

"Oops." She smirked at the girl, her lip curling derisively as the girl backed away, a frightened expression on her face.

"All bark, and no bite." Dante gave his best predatory grin. "Now, get the hell out of here, before your asses _really_ get beaten red."

The opposing group gave the devil hunter scathing looks, and walked away, muttering amongst themselves, the two girls looking as though they'd missed their high-school prom.

Letting out a victorious shout, Patty high-fived Nero, the white-haired youth grinning lopsidedly; he made his way over to Kyrie, grasping her hands in his own.

Dante could hear him murmuring words of comfort to the red-haired woman, but opted not to listen in. Accepting a high-five from Patty, he smirked, ruffling the girl's hair to her displeasure.

"Well, that was disappointing," Trish remarked, sharing a grin with Lady. "With the way they were built, you would think they would be more athletic."

"Well babes, it just goes to show looks aren't everything." Dante winked playfully at the demoness, causing both her and Lady to chuckle.

Heading back over to their beach blankets, Dante once again startled Morrison into wakefulness-this time by toppling his chair over backward.

Dante laughed as Morrison grumbled, brushing sand from his hair and shoulders.

"Didn't anyone teach you to respect your elders?" he glared at Dante, putting his hat back on his head.

"Ha! So you _did_ learn your grumpy old man bit from Morrison!" Nero laughed, only to find himself flat on his back, Dante propping a foot on his chest victoriously.

Yanking on the elder hunter's leg, he pulled him down to his level, landing hard on his backside.

Dante let out a pained groan, and before Nero knew what hit him, the two were wrestling in the sand.

Everybody laughed, watching both white-haired men trying to best each other. Finally, Dante came up the victor, locking Nero in a full nelson hold.

Patty grabbed the camera, snapping a picture of the widely grinning Dante with his scowling captive. "That's definitely a keeper!" she giggled, whirling around to take a picture of the three women.

Kyrie stood in between Lady and Trish, their arms over one another's shoulders; all three were well-tanned from their time spent in the sun, their smiles relaxed.

Dante released Nero finally, the youth rubbing the back of his sore neck, only to let out a pained yelp.

Glancing at the younger man, Dante let out a guffaw.

"All of that sunblock, and you _still_ got sunburned!" He poked Nero between the shoulder blades, eliciting another yelp from the youth.

"Cut it out!" Nero growled, turning to face the elder hunter, his eyes glinting dangerously.

Dante chuckled, and held his hands up in surrender. "Okay, okay. I've had my fun."

Patty giggled, and handed the camera to Dante. "We should totally do a group shot!" she exclaimed.

Looking out over the water, Dante couldn't help but agree. It was beginning to cool down, and the sun had become a fiery red, soon to set. Casting his gaze around the beach, his eyes fell on the long-since vacated life guard tower.

Walking over to it, he set the camera on one of the rungs, and looked at the camera's digital screen. Shaking his head, he moved the camera up to the next rung, and the next, until he was satisfied with what he could see.

Motioning to everyone else to get into the shot, he set up the timer.

"Okay, is everyone ready?"

Once everyone confirmed that they were, Dante clicked the button. Rushing into the group, he grabbed Nero around the neck, pulling him into a headlock.

"This party's getting' crazy!" He shouted, laughing.

With a flash, the moment was captured, everyone laughing as Nero attempted to wrestle from Dante's grasp.

When the duo had finally settled down, the group began to pack up their belongings, chuckling as they went over the day's events.

"I just wanted to thank you all for coming out with me today." Patty said, blushing. She picked up the cooler, the beach blankets wrapped up, and tucked under her left arm. "It's not often we all get to hang out like this anymore…so thank you."

Dante ruffled her hair affectionately. This time, she didn't look displeased, like she had before; this time, a small smile played upon her lips, her eyes glazed with memories of a time since passed.

"No trouble at all." He replied, the others murmuring their agreement.

It really was good for all of them to go out and do fun, ordinary things now and then. It made them appreciate the simple things in life, given their line of work.

"When you get those printed," Patty indicated the camera in Dante's hand, "you'll make doubles, won't you?"

Dante grinned, "After today, I have a feeling I'll have to make more than just doubles."

Patty smiled up at him gratefully, and shifting the cooler in her hand, she started walking back to the parking lot, Dante and the others trailing behind her.

Dante couldn't stop smiling to himself; despite all of his earlier grumblings, and the volleyball punks they'd had to deal with, Patty had been right; the day had really been worthwhile. He didn't regret a single moment.

Once Morrison's car was packed with all of Patty's stuff, everyone bid the young girl farewell, as the older man got ready to drive her home.

Giving a final wave as the car pulled out of sight, Dante slid into the driver's seat of his convertible, Nero and Kyrie following him as Trish and Lady sat astride Lady's speed bike.

"Well, I guess it's time to get back to the office." He murmured, turning the key in the ignition. The engine roared to life, echoed by Lady's bike as she did the same.

"You two are welcome to spend the night." He told Nero and Kyrie, casting a glance at them as he pulled out of the parking lot, and sped down the road.

"That would be wonderful, thank you." Kyrie blushed, Nero murmuring his own thanks.

After all, it was a fairly long trip back to Fortuna at this time of night, and after the events of the day, everyone was beyond exhausted. What kind of man would Dante be, if he let them drive home when he could offer them comfort and shelter for the night?

Remembering the multitude of pictures sitting on his camera, Dante took a sharp left into town, Lady and Trish passing by him on their way to the _Devil May Cry_ building.

"But before we do anything else, I have one little stop to make…"

* * *

The shrill ringing of the phone startled Dante from his peaceful sleep, the front legs of his chair slamming down onto the floor as he leaned forward to grab the receiver.

Clearing his throat, he greeted, "Devil May Cry."

Listening to the voice on the other end, the half devil grinned, his eyes falling on the group photo he'd been looking at only an hour before.

"Sounds like a plan, Patty." He spoke into the receiver, his gloved fingers tracing over the edge of the picture. "I'll rally the troops. See you in a bit."

Hanging up, the devil hunter stood, stretching his arms high above him, allowing the kink in his back to loosen.

Grinning, he picked up the phone, and dialed Nero's mobile.

_An action movie night, eh? _Dante mused. _Sounds like my kind of night…_


	17. Chapter 17: Caffeine

**Hello again, readers! First and foremost, I'd like to thank all of you who have reviewed my story so far, along with adding it to your favourites and following it.:) Your feedback is very much appreciated, and I hope I continue to give you enjoyment with my little one-shot chapters, here. This chapter is a Dante, Nero, and Patty one, in which yet again, Patty is thirteen. Yes, I know, her age fluctuates with most of the chapters she's in. Luckily, the series of events in this fanfiction are in no particular order. ;) I hope you enjoy, and please R&R!**

**Disclaimer:**** You know the song and dance; Devil May Cry and its characters are the property of Capcom. This fanfiction is non-profit, and purely for enjoyment.**

* * *

_**Caffeine**_

"Alright kids," Dante hollered from the kitchenette in the back of the _Devil May Cry_, "if we're going to pull an all-nighter, we're going to need some coffee."

Grinning to himself as he heard Nero grumble about being called 'kid', and Patty protesting about coffee tasting too bitter, the devil hunter turned the coffee pot on, and sauntered into the main room.

"Hey, the all-nighter thing was your idea, remember?" Dante looked pointedly at the thirteen-year-old girl as he shrugged out of his heavy red leather coat, and tossed it onto his desk. He wore a simple form-fitting black T-shirt, along with his leather chaps over burgundy slacks.

His boots thudded on the hardwood floor as he crossed the room, and he plunked down onto the red couch, propping his feet up on the coffee table.

"Alright, so what is it exactly, that we're supposed to do during this all-nighter?" Nero inquired, settling himself into the armchair opposite, Patty following both white-haired men, and sitting next to Dante.

"We could always hit up the strip club." Dante suggested, his lip curling into a lopsided grin.

"You're _so_ funny." Patty countered, sticking her tongue out at the half devil. "I'm not old enough to go to the bar, remember? And even if I was, I wouldn't want to go somewhere like _that!_"

"Well, Nero and I could go, and you could sit here all by your lonesome, watching a chick flick, or something." Dante couldn't help but goad Patty; it wasn't his fault she made it so easy.

Patty narrowed her eyes at him, and crossed her arms over her chest. "Get real, Dante."

"I'm as real as they come, sweetheart." He winked at her, causing the blonde to growl in frustration.

"Oh, you're real alright." Nero spoke up finally, his upper lip twitching. "A real pain in the ass."

Dante's gaze slid toward the younger man, his ice blue eyes glinting mischievously. It would be all too easy to take the kid down a notch or two with some 'friendly' sparring…

"We could make it a gambling night." Patty interrupted Dante's musings, her voice thoughtful. "We could shoot some pool, play some cards, that kind of thing."

Nero laughed out loud. "You're kidding, right? You and I would _cream_ Dante; you know that."

"Hey!" Dante protested in an injured voice. "What makes you think I couldn't win?"

He crossed his arms over his chest, his eyebrows knitting together as he glared at Nero. Judging by the smug look on the kid's face, his glare had about as much of an effect on him as oxygen did on fire-he was only fanning the flames.

"Do you really need to ask?" Nero replied mildly, leaning back casually in the armchair. "Besides, I'd feel pretty bad, taking every last cent you have."

Before Dante could volley an insult back at Nero, Patty interjected. "Okay, well we need to think of _something_ to do." She declared in exasperation, massaging her forehead with one hand as the other tapped idly on her knee.

"We could do all those things without gambling." Dante offered, ignoring the smug 'Ha, I knew it!' expression on Nero's face. "We could order a pizza, watch a couple of action flicks, start a fight club…"

He trailed off, grinning as both the girl and youth groaned at his last, ludicrous statement. At least he knew they were paying attention…

Hearing the faint beep of the coffee maker signalling that the pot was ready, the half devil rose to his feet, and strode across the office. "Well, you guys can continue discussing it in committee; I'm getting a cup of joe."

Patty sighed, and both she and Nero followed Dante into the modest kitchenette.

"Well, the fight club idea aside," Patty caught Dante's eye, both of them smirking, "the rest sounds like a start." The blonde took the mug Dante handed to her, wrinkling her nose at the black, bitter contents.

"I do have cream and sugar, you know." He told her, casting a thumb in the direction of the first cupboard above the sink. "It will take down some of that 'bitter' edge you hate so much."

Nero took three strides to the mini fridge, and pulled out the creamer, handing it to the young girl. "I had to use cream when I first started drinking coffee, too." He smiled at her. "Some people eventually find they like coffee without it, but I still use it, every now and then."

"Who knows," Dante said, taking a sip of his own black coffee, "maybe once the caffeine works its magic, we'll get more ideas as to what to do tonight."

Smacking his lips together in satisfaction, he returned to the sitting room, grabbing a stack of playing cards from his desk on the way.

All three returned to their previous seats, Patty swiping the cards from Dante's hands, a knowing gleam in her sapphire eyes.

"What, you don't trust me?" the devil hunter put a hand to his chest, a hurt expression on his face. It took a lot of self-restraint to keep the grin from his lips, causing him to clench his other hand against his thigh in concentration.

Patty simply rolled her eyes, and began shuffling the cards. "So, what will it be? Poker, Euchre, Crazy Eights?"

"Let's do something a little different, since we have a lot of time on our hands." Dante replied, a wolfish grin lighting his face. "Why don't we make it Crazy-eight count down?"

"I haven't played that since I was a kid." Nero murmured, taking a long sip from his cup, his expression thoughtful.

"You still _are_ a kid." Dante joked, earning a death glare from the younger hunter, his right arm flashing in warning.

Patty shook her head in amusement, and began doling out the cards. "Crazy-eight count down it is," she declared with a grin, "get ready to lose, suckers!"

* * *

Four pots of coffee and three rounds of Crazy-eight count down later-in which Patty won and Dante was dead last, every single time-the trio was far too wired to sit through another game of cards.

At least that's how Dante rationalized it; of course it had _nothing_ to do with his continuous losing streak. That would be poor sportsmanship, and if the half devil was anything, he was a good sport, whatever the circumstances.

Yeah, that was it; too much caffeine. Not the endless taunts he suffered from Patty and Nero, no; perish the thought…

Getting to his feet, Dante stretched, letting out a groan as he did so. Crossing his arms over his chest, he frowned down at Patty and Nero, waiting for them to get their fill of teasing him.

When their chortles died down to dry coughs behind their hands, he raised an eyebrow at them. "Are you two done yet?"

Patty nodded at him, her face flushed as she offered him an apologetic smile. Nero only snorted, grinning wryly as he dangled his Devil Bringer over the edge of the chair, his blue eyes shining with mirth.

_Punk._ Dante thought to himself, shifting his weight to his right hip, and dropping his arms to his side.

"So, now what do we do?" Patty inquired, glancing between both hunters expectantly.

"I don't know." Nero replied with a yawn, standing and giving his own limbs a much needed stretching out. "But whatever we do, I can't just sit around anymore."

"Me neither." Patty agreed with a nod, her ponytail bouncing with the movement. "We should go out for a walk!"

Dante cast a look at the grandfather clock; it was twelve thirty-six.

"At this hour?" He asked, taking a final swig from his coffee cup. Wiping his mouth on the back of one gloved hand, he gathered up the other two empty mugs, and headed to the kitchenette, depositing them into the sink with a _clang_.

"Why not?" Patty replied, when he re-entered the main room.

"Well for one, there isn't exactly a lot we can do, at this time of night. At least not until you're old enough to frequent drinking establishments." Dante countered, holding a finger up to emphasize his point.

Patty sighed, but motioned for the devil hunter to go on.

"And for two, who knows what is prowling out there right now." He extended a second finger, giving Patty his 'no nonsense' stare.

"Come on, Dante." Patty pleaded, "I'm not some helpless little girl anymore."

"You're also not a devil hunter," Dante said pointedly, "holding up against a bunch of drunkards is one thing; holding up against a horde of demons is quite another story."

"Hold on there, one second." Nero interrupted, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "It's not like she'll be alone; she'll have us with her."

"She'd be a liability."

"And so will every other normal human roaming the streets tonight." Nero countered, crossing his arms over his chest with a frown. "It's a bar night, Dante. Even without Patty, there would be humans to protect."

"And you think adding one more to the mix won't be a problem?" Dante snorted, throwing his hands up in exasperation.

"If there are demons out there tonight, it's our job to take them down, regardless." Nero finished. "What would you rather we do? Leave Patty all alone in the _Devil May Cry_? She could just as easily come under attack here, as she could out there. At least out there, she has _us_."

Throughout the entire exchange, Patty remained silent. Casting a sidelong glance at her, Dante didn't need to guess as to why. The blonde girl's head hung with her chin on her chest, her eyes hidden behind her bangs. Her breathing was shallow as a single drop of clear liquid fell from the tip of her nose, landing on the wooden floor.

_Shit…_ Dante mentally berated himself. How could he have been so stupid? How had he not realized his words would be misconstrued, hurting the teenaged girl?

"Patty, I-" Dante extended a hand to the girl, his stomach churning with guilt.

"Just forget it, Dante." She spoke so softly, the half devil had to strain his ears to hear her. "You're right; I'm not a devil hunter. I'm just some weak, helpless little girl."

Looking at Nero helplessly, the half devil only earned a reprimanding glare in return. The kid's eyes said it all; _now look what you've done._

Dante ran a hand through his hair, a soft breath escaping his lips. His big mouth had gotten him in trouble, yet again; but for once, he was at a loss as to what to say or do. Mouthing off to an opponent was easy and always ended with him coming out swinging. Making tactless remarks toward a friend without thinking, and having to set things right? That involved a whole different approach, and one he wasn't particularly _good_ at.

Patty brushed passed Dante, making her way toward his desk.

"Thanks for the fun night, Nero." She said in passing, not even glancing Dante's way. "I think I'll call my mom to pick me up, now."

"Patty…" Dante tried again, the girl continuing to ignore him, as she picked up the phone.

The half devil received a hard shove, Nero giving him a 'fix it right now' look.

Dante glared back at the younger devil hunter, his eyes softening when Nero cast a sad look at Patty.

Striding across the room quickly, Dante grabbed the receiver from Patty's grasp, ignoring her protests.

"You don't have to do that, Patty."

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't." she retorted, eyes flashing. "Even after all we've been through together, you still treat me like a worthless little girl!"

"No, it's not like that." Dante replied, guilt-stricken.

Patty placed her hands on her hips, a single tear trailing down her cheek.

"Then what, Dante?" Her gaze hardened as she fought to keep from crying; the girl bit down on her bottom lip until blood appeared.

"It's just…" Dante ran a hand through his hair again. Why was this so hard? When Patty made to grab the phone again, he grabbed her wrist gently, and looked at her with his icy blue eyes.

They stood like that for a long moment, the devil hunter vaguely aware of Nero uncomfortably shifting from one foot to the other in his peripherals.

Letting out a heavy sigh, Dante crouched in front of Patty, and pulled her into a hug. "I'm sorry, kid. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. It's just that…well, I…you know…" he stammered over the words, pulling away from her to look her in the eye again.

Though still rimmed with red, her blue eyes no longer contained the hurt and anger from only seconds ago. She gave him a genuine smile; she knew exactly what it was he was trying to say. She didn't need to hear him say it out loud, for which the half devil was immensely grateful.

Clearing his throat, Dante straightened up, rubbing his stubble covered jawline self-consciously. Patty stood with him, her eyes shining appreciatively. No, she didn't need to hear the words; she knew Dante only had her best interests at heart. He'd do anything to protect her, no matter the personal cost to himself.

"Aww, well aren't you two just adorable?" Both Dante and Patty whirled around to stare at Nero, nearly having forgotten he was even there. The youth smirked at them, arms across his chest. "Well, if you two are quite done making up, let's say we head out for that midnight stroll?"

Dante grabbed his coat from his desk, and playfully punched Nero in the arm as he walked passed him.

"Sounds like a plan." He replied with a grin, Patty in tow as she threw her denim jacket over her short-sleeved dress.

Shoving the double doors open, the trio stepped out into the crisp night air, drinking in the sensation of the breeze, as clouds drifted lazily above them, the moon full and bright.

* * *

As the three of them walked down the cobblestone street, a bloodcurdling scream split through the air, startling the two devil hunters into action.

"It came from the park!" Nero exclaimed, grabbing hold of Patty's hand as they broke into a run. Dante brought up the rear, casting a sharp glance all around to make sure there weren't any demons lurking about, awaiting an opportunity to ambush them.

Luckily for the couple in the park, the _Devil May Cry_ agency was a mere stone's throw away from the tree-lined area they'd just been making out in.

Leaping over a park bench, Dante flew into action, grabbing Rebellion from over his shoulder, and threw it into the demon horde that was bearing down on the petrified couple.

"Get out of here!" Patty shouted at the young man and woman, bringing them out of their terror-filled state. Scrambling to their feet, they did as they were told, running passed as Nero struck the opposite side of the group of demons.

Glancing back momentarily, Dante was pleased to see Patty keeping a safe distance, allowing him and Nero to work more efficiently. Grabbing the hilt of his sword, he thrust the blade sideways, green slime flicking from the blade in large quantity, staining the brickwork beneath his feet. Pulling Ebony from his left holster, he rapid fired into two demons as they launched themselves at him, their roars turning into strangled cries as bullets seared through their flesh, charged with Dante's own demonic power.

The half devil jumped out of the way in the nick of time, as Nero charged up Red Queen, and unleashed a fiery spin attack on the horde, killing many as others were flung backward.

Only three species of demon seemed to make up this particular group, much to Dante's relief, and they were all of a fairly low class. Scarecrows with bladed legs, blood-goyles, and arachne.

"How are you holding up, old man?" Nero shouted to Dante, firing two shots from Blue Rose, bringing a couple of the blood-goyles down, and slicing them into rubble with his blade.

"Just fine, kid." Dante grunted, plunging his sword into a particularly large arachne, twisting the blade for good measure. "Just another walk in the park!"

Pulling the sword out, he stiffened against the shrill cry of the dying creature, and unloaded several shots into its abdomen.

Wiping blood from his cheek, Dante surveyed the area, and put Rebellion over his shoulder, exhaling a sigh of relief. "It's over." Securing the blade in place, he tucked Ebony away as well, and looked over at Patty.

His eyebrows shot up in surprise; instead of fear, the girl's face split into a large smile, her eyes shining excitedly. "That was great, guys! Oh, if only I'd had my camera…"

Nero chuckled beside the elder hunter, his own weapons returned to their appropriate places, much like Dante's.

"What d'ya say, old man? Maybe when she's a few years older, we can train her with a gun and a blade."

Patty squealed in excitement, and turned to Dante. "Would you?" she breathed, her eyes wide.

"I dunno…" Dante rubbed his neck nervously, casting Nero a perplexed look.

"Please, Dante! Three years is a long time, and I'm sure I'll be able to handle it by then…" the girl's voice trailed off hopefully, her hands clasped together.

Dante mulled it over, his foot tapping lightly against the ground. Looking back at Patty's imploring gaze, he folded. "Tell you what, kiddo. We'll decide in a few years, okay?"

Patty whooped, grabbing Nero into a tight hug, much to the youth's surprise.

"Hey there, slow down," Dante chided, grinning, "I said we'd talk about it then; I make no promises about whether we'll _actually_ train you, or not."

"That's good enough for me!" Patty exclaimed, grabbing Dante into much the same hug as she had with Nero.

Dante chuckled, patting the overly enthusiastic girl on the back. "When we get back to the office, you're cut off. No more coffee for you."

* * *

An hour later, after taking out the demon horde and stopping for pizza, the two devil hunters and adolescent girl walked through the double doors of the agency, all three removing their coats, the two hunters slumping down onto the couch.

Patty grabbed a movie from the stack Dante kept beneath the television set, and popped it into the DVD player. Returning to the couch, she squeezed in between the white-haired men, drawing her legs up onto the couch, and rested her chin on her knees.

"Don't worry, I picked an action movie." She told them, Dante sighing with relief as Nero murmured his appreciation.

_Not that we need an action movie to keep things interesting; we live it, ever day! _Dante mused, grinning as the movie finally started.

Leaning back into the couch cushions, the half devil became acutely aware of just how exhausted he was. Before he knew it, his eyes drifted closed, and he slipped into a peaceful, comfortable sleep.

* * *

Startled by the sudden snoring to her right, Patty glanced over to see Nero slumped against the arm of the couch, out cold. Looking to her left, she grinned. Dante was fully leaned back against the couch, his feet propped up on the coffee table, as usual, with his arms behind his head.

_So much for pulling an all-nighter._

Realizing how tired she had become herself, Patty yawned, and turned the movie off. There would always be another time, after all.

With that, she curled up on her side, her head resting on Dante's chest, the rising and falling of it with each breath, along with the steady beating of his heart, soothing her; until she too, drifted off to sleep…


	18. Chapter 18: Tears

**Here's another chapter for you all! I would like to thank each and every one of you, yet again, for your continued support of this one-shot series. :) I'm glad that others are deriving enjoyment from what I write, as I derive enjoyment from writing it. **

**This chapter is quite a bit more sobering. There is some fluff, but for the most part, it's not comedic like many of the other chapters. Please R&R, and let me know what you think. :)**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Devil May Cry, or the characters used. They are the property of Capcom. This one-shot series is purely for entertainment, and no profit is made from it.**

* * *

_**Tears**_

Thunder rumbled distantly, a streak of lightning throwing the contents of the building into sharp relief. With each flash, the shadows danced across the floor and walls, only to plunge the room into complete darkness, once they passed.

Dante's vision, sharp thanks to his demonic heritage, took note of the position of the grandfather clock's hands. One twenty-three a.m. After raining all day, the storm was finally moving on, it seemed.

The day had been a dreary one for the devil hunter. Patty was on vacation with her mother somewhere warm and inviting, so the blonde girl he'd grown fond of over the past three years had not been able to drop in, and say her customary 'hello'. Likewise, Trish and Lady had taken up a mission together several hours away, investigating claims of a string of demonic portals opening up all over the city. Nero was back in Fortuna, fulfilling his roles as both an up-and-coming demon hunter, and loving partner to his soon-to-be bride, Kyrie. Dante was assured he'd receive an invitation, once the date was set.

But, the last few days had really been quite lonely for the renowned son of Sparda. He was no stranger to being alone…but today in particular, had been quite difficult; for today had been the anniversary of when he'd lost Vergil, before his twin's unfortunate enslavement to Mundus.

It was true, that the devil hunter had made peace with a great deal of his past; however, he still couldn't help but grieve, every year on the same day. For all their differences, for all the resolute anger and determination Dante had shown in stopping his twin's evil acts…he still loved him; he still missed the brother he once knew so well.

Ice clinked within the glass in hand as he swirled it absently, and Dante took a long gulp of the fiery liquid, allowing its warmth to spread through his entire being. Satisfied with the drowsy affect it had on him, he set the glass down atop the large wooden desk, and made his way up the stairs.

Pushing his bedroom door open, he kicked off his boots, tossed his coat onto the floor, and flopped down onto his bed, face first. Within mere seconds, Dante was out cold, drifting into fitful sleep.

* * *

_**Vergil and Dante's Eighth Birthday…**_

"_Psst! Vergil…Hey, Vergil! Wake up, will ya?" Dante crawled over his sleeping twin's form, his large blue eyes peering down at his brother, his nose nearly touching that of his sleeping twin's._

_Vergil stirred, the thick mop of silvery-white hair on his head tussled from sleep. Letting out a groan, he opened one eye, and gave a start._

"_Gah! Dante, how many times do I have to tell you? Don't do that!"_

_Dante laughed at his blue pajama-clad twin's outburst, clutching his sides as he fell off of the bed._

_Vergil scowled down at him, a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. Before Dante could react, Vergil leapt on top of him, a blur of red and blue as the twins wrestled and rolled all over the floor._

_A soft knock came at their bedroom door, and Eva strode in, smiling warmly down at her sons. _

"_I see the birthday boys are awake." She remarked dryly, as she lingered in the doorway._

_Dante let out a sly giggle, earning another scowl from Vergil; there was no doubt about whom had been responsible for their rising._

"_Mom, can you please tell Dante to stop waking me up like that? I swear he almost gave me a heart attack that time."_

_Dante fell prey to a renewed fit of giggles, and gave his mom his most charming of grins. "Mom, can you tell Vergil to stop acting like he has a stick up his ginormous butt?"_

_Vergil tackled Dante to the floor once again, the red clad twin laughing hysterically as his brother attempted to tickle him into submission (since beating him up sure didn't seem to work!)_

_Eva laughed; a charming sound that brought the boys out of their wrestling. "Alright you two, that's enough." She admonished lightly, prying them apart. "Your father and I have a gift for you."_

_Both boys looked up at their mother in surprise, a smile spreading across Dante's face as the more conservative Vergil only showed his interest through the intensity of his gaze._

"_Father's home?" They asked in unison, Dante snickering as he called 'jinx' on the elder twin._

"_Yes, he is. He just got back late last night." Eva replied, ruffling their hair affectionately._

"_Is he alright? How was his battle?" Vergil inquired, concern flashing across his face so quickly that no one outside of the family would have noticed._

"_Don't worry, your father is quite alright," Eva assured them both, "now come downstairs. Breakfast is on the table, and once you're both done, presents."_

_Requiring no further motivation, the twins raced downstairs, Dante grabbing hold of Vergil, and pulling him back so that he could get there, first._

_Once the two had finished their scrambled eggs, bacon and toast, they rushed into the living room, both Eva and Sparda awaiting them._

"_Dad!" Vergil and Dante cried out, tackling the white-haired man as he sat in his armchair. The near-strangling hugs caused the Dark Knight to chuckle, as he returned their affections._

"_It's good to see my boys again." Sparda declared in his rich baritone, his blue eyes-one behind a monocle-twinkling merrily._

_Though the twins were quite familiar with his demonic form, Sparda preferred his human guise while in the presence of his family; short white hair swept back neatly, a deep purple button-up overcoat, purple slacks, both complete with red embroidery, cuff links, white gloves, and a bedazzled collar. Completing the ensemble were a pair of knee-high, suede black boots with silver buckles._

_Releasing them from his bear hug, Sparda grinned down at the miniature versions of Eva and himself. _

"_Happy birthday, boys. Your mother and I have some gifts for you."_

_Dante let out an excited gasp, Vergil grinning greedily as his gaze swept back and forth between his mother and father._

"_What did you get us?"_

"_Is it really big?"_

"_Can we open our presents now, please?"_

_Both Eva and Sparda laughed at the twins' shared excitement, the full-blooded devil finally holding up a gloved hand to calm them down._

"_Yes, you can open your presents." Sparda chuckled, and handed them two boxes. "Open these ones first."_

_Barely able to contain their excitement, both Dante and Vergil ripped the wrapping paper off almost savagely, and pried the boxes open._

_Dante got to his first, and pulled out a large red leather trench coat, complete with brown straps and buckles. _

_Vergil held up a large blue over-coat, with two long tails at the back. The coat was elegant, embroidered with gold on the outside, and lined with a golden silk on the inside._

_Dante's eyes drank his own coat in greedily, roving over every detail. It seemed Vergil too, was absorbed in his admiration of his own coat, as well._

_Sparda cleared his throat, startling them both. "They're a bit large, but you'll grow into them, before you know it."_

"_I love it." Dante murmured, Vergil echoing the sentiment with a nod. _

"_Thanks, dad!" they chimed together._

_Eva brought forward two smaller, jewel-encrusted boxes, handing one to each boy._

_Unclasping his, Dante peered down at the ruby amulet that glimmered up at him. The gem was encased in ornate silver, with a chain to match, a warm tingling sensation spreading through his hand as he picked it up._

_Casting a glance over at Vergil, he saw that his twin had much the same, only his was in gold._

"_Wow," Vergil whispered, "they feel powerful. What are they?" He looked up at his mother, the beautiful blonde woman smiling at both of her sons, her bluish-green eyes shimmering with contentment._

"_They're protective amulets," Eva explained, "They were forged in tribute to both the human and demon lineage that resides within each of you."_

_Dante sprang to his feet, hugging his mother tightly, Vergil clamoring over his twin to do the same. Eva stroked their platinum locks gently, Sparda chuckling as he got to his feet._

"_There's still one more thing, for both of you." He told them, drawing their attention away from their mother to the two large cases propped against the opposite wall._

_Dante and Vergil exchanged looks, conveying their mounting curiosity with shared gleams in their intensely blue eyes._

_Sparda handed the longer, thinner case to Vergil, his introverted son settling onto the floor and undoing the many clasps that held the case shut._

_Watching as his father set the larger case on the floor for him, Dante scooted closer; his hands trembling as he followed his brother's lead._

_Looking at one another at the same time, Dante and Vergil flipped the cases open simultaneously, an echoed gasp catching in both of their throats._

_Within Dante's case was a large, silver claymore. The sword's tip was broad, tapering in slightly at identical notches, before widening again, and tapering slightly at the hilt. The hilt resembled a pair of ribs, a grinning skull with ruby eyes and horns adorning both sides. Two cylindrical pieces completed the hilt, the handle long, ending with a spiked pommel._

"_That sword is yours and yours alone." Sparda said over Dante's shoulder. "Its name is Rebellion."_

_Grinning over his shoulder, Dante nodded gratefully at his father, and turned to look at what his brother had received._

"_That is Yamato," Sparda explained to Vergil, as the elder twin pulled out a long, elegant katana, "that blade belongs to you, Vergil."_

_Vergil unsheathed the katana, studying the long, gleaming blade with fervor, his hand flexing over the blue and white handle, studying the silver and gold inlay on the hilt._

_Dante and Vergil murmured over their blades, the twins gingerly tracing the curves of their new weapons._

"_Your father forged those swords specifically for you two," Eva explained, crouching down to admire her husband's craftsmanship, "soon, under your father's continued supervision, you can begin training with them."_

_Her smile faltered; this didn't go unnoticed by Dante, though to cast a look at Vergil, it had gone unnoticed by his twin._

_Reaching out, he grasped his mother's right hand in his own, and squeezed it reassuringly. _

"_We'll be fine, mom. I promise." He murmured, his eyes dancing. _

_Eva squeezed his hand in return, the worry fading from her luminous eyes. Dante knew his mother loved him and his brother equally, but he also knew that he was more emotionally in-tune with his mother. It wasn't that Vergil didn't love her or care; quite the contrary, in fact. Dante knew Vergil cared very deeply…but for whatever reason, his twin was far more reserved, unable to express emotion the way he could._

_Glancing over at Sparda, he noted that despite being identical twins, Vergil seemed to share more of Sparda's regality than he did. Similar to their father, Vergil liked to sweep his hair back, whereas Dante didn't mind the platinum shag of bangs that hung across his forehead._

_With a shrug, Dante could only guess that he was more like his mother, and Vergil was more like their father._

_Setting Rebellion gingerly into its case, Dante stood, and hugged both of his parents. "This is by far the best birthday, ever." He told them, his parents grinning warmly at his gratitude._

"_When can we begin our training, father?" Vergil asked, putting his own sword away._

_Sparda stroked his smooth jawline in thought, a small smile on his lips. "How about after dinner? Sound good, boys?"_

_Dante nodded enthusiastically, Vergil grinning. "That sounds great!"_

* * *

Dante awoke with a start, sitting up on his bed, breathing heavily.

His eyes darted around the room, noticing that it was still dark. Wiping the sweat from his brow, he leaned forward, resting his arms on his thighs. After all the whiskey he'd consumed before bed, he shouldn't have even been able to dream, and yet, he had.

Visions of his dream danced before his eyes, swimming in and out of his view. It hadn't been a mere dream however, but a memory; one he had long since buried.

His breath caught in his throat, as the memory of his eighth birthday weighed heavily on his chest. Sadness took hold of him, cold creeping from deep within his belly, cascading over each limb, trailing down his spine. A hot wetness fell from his eyes, trailing down his cheeks, and falling onto his forearms below.

He and Vergil never did get their swordsmanship training from their father; that evening, an emergency had occurred, calling Sparda away to battle, once again.

For several nights following that, the twins had stayed by the window, anxious for his return, as a distressed Eva sobbed softly behind them, her hands gripping their shoulders tightly. More days had passed, their mother becoming more wan and withdrawn.

And then…

And then, they had fallen under attack.

The memory was vivid, a sharp pain sitting between Dante's ribs as he recalled it all, his breathing becoming more laboured.

Swiping a hand across his face, he took several deep, calming breaths. He supposed he should have expected such haunting dreams; he had been thinking of Vergil after all. What had he really expected? That he would manage to get black-out drunk enough to keep the dreams at bay?

They came every year, and would probably come for many more.

Checking the digital clock on his bedside table, he noted it was only three a.m.

Leaning back against his pillow, Dante sighed. He knew he would always miss his brother, no matter how many years passed, and despite how things had ended between them. They had been in contrast the way shadow is to light in so many ways, and yet, they had shared a lot of similarities, as well.

Forcing away the sadness, he called to mind the morning of their eighth birthday; the half devil smiled, and with another sigh, he drifted off into a peaceful, dream-free sleep…


	19. Chapter 19: Mercy

**Hello again, readers! Once again, thank you for your support; be it through reviews, favourites, or whatnot. :) Your feedback is much appreciated. Once again, we're looking at a less comedic chapter, but one that I hope you enjoy, nonetheless. Don't worry, I intend on having more humour in later chapters. I just like to keep a sort of equilibrium, when I can. As always, please R&R!**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Devil May Cry, or the characters. They are the property of Capcom. This fanfiction is non-profit, and purely for entertainment.**

* * *

_**Mercy**_

It was a quiet evening, the silence only broken by the television set in the far left of the _Devil May Cry_ agency. Two occupants sat upon the maroon-coloured sofa, both of them relaxed as they stared intently at the small set, engrossed in the news cast that droned from it.

Leaning back casually with his arms over the back of the couch, one leg crossed over the other, Dante's eyes never left the screen. Next to him, Trish sat forward, elbows resting on her knees. A concerned frown flickered across her face, her greenish-blue eyes narrowing suspiciously.

"_Officials still have yet to determine if the crimes are individual acts, or whether the string of events are all being done by one person…"_

Dante grabbed the remote, clicking the television set off with a sigh. Casting a glance at Trish, he pressed the fingers of both hands together, a contemplative glaze in his cool blue eyes.

"These crimes aren't just random." he finally spoke, the blonde she-devil nodding her agreement. "I'd be willing to bet Rebellion that they're not being performed by a human, either."

"With the strange sightings witnesses have claimed? I'm willing to bet you're right." Trish replied dryly.

So far, the string of crimes only involved breaking and entering; however, nothing had been stolen from any of the locations broken into, nor had any bodily harm befallen anyone. Anyone who had witnessed the crime occurring swore they saw a man, covered in shadows, appear out of nowhere, only to vanish right before their eyes. Sometimes the man broke in through windows and doors, and other times still, no evidence of forced entry could be attained.

Dante watched as the busty blonde rose from the couch, her eyes flicking over to his desk, where her twin pistols, Luce and Ombra, sat.

"Maybe we should look into it?" She suggested mildly as she walked over to the desk, her heeled boots clicking sharply on the way. Picking up the dark grey and black pistols, she twirled them idly around her fingers, and holstered them at her hips.

"Now you're speaking my language, babe." Dante chuckled, grabbing his red leather coat from the back of the desk chair, throwing it on with a flourish. Before he could grab his sword or either of his pistols, the large arched window on the far side of the office imploded. Shards of glass cascaded down upon the drum set and juke box, a lone shadowy figure landing lightly in a crouch on the wooden floor.

The figure moved quickly, teleporting directly in front of the legendary devil hunter. Blue eyes met deadly amber ones; the figure bore very human features, though by the taint of his grey skin and elongated ears, it was clear he was not. A swath of blonde hair slightly concealed his left eye, the rest of it pulled back in a top knot.

Before Dante could assess much else, the figure brought forth an elegant broadsword, holding it to the devil hunter's throat.

A warning shot rang out, drawing the figure's attention away for a split second. That was all the time Dante needed; the half devil ducked down, performing a low sweeping kick that knocked the figure's legs out from under him.

He landed on his back with a pained gasp, his sword clattering to the floor a few feet away. Moving quickly, Dante grabbed Rebellion from its spot on the wall, making sure to kick his opponent's blade further out of reach at the same time.

With one booted foot, he pinned his assailant's arm, swinging Rebellion down to rest at his neck. Casting a quick glance of thanks towards Trish, he pressed his boot down harder on the figure's arm.

The figure let out a pained gasp, his eyes wide with genuine fear.

"Please, spare me!" His voice was a pleasant deepness, the notes of each word somewhat melodic, despite his apparent distress.

Giving him a once over, Dante noted that the humanoid demon wore a white petticoat, adorned with intricate golden embroidery and quartz buttons. Accenting this were a pair of tight black pants with the same golden patterns, and a dark grey pair of boots, complete with greaves.

"And why should I do that?" Dante asked him, pressing Rebellion more firmly against the figure's neck until a trickle of blood pooled into the stiff collar of his petticoat.

Trish came to stand by Dante's side, one gun rested lightly on her shoulder as she studied the man under Dante's blade curiously.

"Please, I meant you no harm!" the figure begged, his breath hitching.

"So pulling your sword on me was just a friendly 'hello', was it?" Dante scoffed, his gaze hardening. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't disembowel you right this second."

"I…I only came for the sword 'Sparda'! Please, I beg of you! You must release me. I must have that sword!"

"You're not exactly convincing me here, pal." Dante ground out between his molars. "So let's try this again…"

With his left hand, he pulled Ebony out, aiming the black pistol at the demon's forehead, Rebellion still trained on his throat.

"I-I have to bring that sword back to Lord Abraxas…or…my family…" the figure choked out. A solitary tear slid from his right eye, disappearing into his sideburn.

Dante exchanged a look with Trish, his gaze softening. Her expression mirrored Dante's; was this demon yet another victim of a too-powerful Master?

After a moment, Dante spoke up again. "Okay, here's the deal. I'm going to let you up. In exchange, you're not going to attack either of us, nor are you going to grab my father's sword. If you don't comply, I will be forced to retaliate-and believe you me, pal, it won't be pretty."

The figure seemed to mull this over for all of three seconds, before nodding his head vigorously.

"In addition, you're going to tell us who you are, and why this Demon Lord has your family captive. Understand?"

Again, the figure nodded, his amber eyes overflowing with gratitude.

"Okay, then." Dante removed his foot from the figure's arm at the same time that he removed his sword from his throat. Resting Rebellion over his right shoulder, he gave the demon a moment to compose himself.

Getting slowly to his feet, the demon wiped his tears with an elegant hand, and bowed, his eyes trained on Dante's face. "I apologize for attacking you, and thank you for your compassion. I am Elis."

Dante shrugged uncomfortably; he had forgotten how much the upper echelon in the demon world valued decorum.

"Provided you don't pull another stunt like that, all is forgiven." Dante waved a hand dismissively. "Now, why don't you tell me your story from the beginning?"

Trish stepped forward, motioning Elis toward the sitting room. "Come, I will fix us a hot beverage while you tell us." She offered him a warm smile; Dante had to give credit to the she-devil for doing what she could to put the demon at ease. It would go a long way toward earning his trust, and getting the truth from him.

Elis graciously accepted her offer, and made his way over to the sofa; sitting down regally, his back stiff, hands folded in his lap. Sitting in the armchair opposite, Dante trained his gaze on Elis' face, making sure the devil had no lofty ideas about pulling a fast one on them.

After several long, silent moments, Trish made her way over to the sitting area, three mugs of steaming coffee in hand. Setting them down on the coffee table, she leaned against the armchair, being careful not to put herself in a vulnerable position, while maintaining eye contact with their uninvited guest.

Taking a long sip of his coffee, Elis did a double-take, his eyes widening appreciatively at the bold flavour. After another sip, he looked up at the pair sadly. "It all began three human weeks ago. I fear I made a grievous error…"

Dante and Trish waited patiently, as Elis collected himself, a hand swiping at a stray tear on his cheek.

Swallowing, he continued. "You see, I was bold and headstrong. I was a Lord of my own portion of the Demon Realm; none had ever dared challenge me or my fathers before me. Our family has always been wealthy, and well-respected. I fear I became too complacent, in that fact."

Dante took a sip of his own coffee, letting the flavour roll over his tongue before swallowing it. Glancing at Trish, he smiled faintly at her posture. The demoness' eyes were completely focused on Elis, a line forming between her eyebrows.

Looking back at Elis, Dante prompted him to continue with a casual wave of his hand.

"One day, Abraxas came to my estate, wishing to purchase it along with all of my servants. Not only did I decline, I rudely dismissed him as one unworthy of such fine luxuries. Three days later, he laid siege to my home, and took my wife and three children hostage."

At this, another tear glided down the demon's cheek, his amber eyes closing morosely.

"And so, for insulting him and in order to get your family back, he ordered you to bring him the sword 'Sparda'." Dante concluded, letting out an agitated sigh. His father's sword caused him no end of trouble, it seemed.

"Yes." Elis replied, his voice soft. "Now that I have failed in my mission, I dread to think of what he will do to my family."

"Well, I assume since you were able to tell us this, he isn't keeping a particularly close watch on you." Dante took another sip of his coffee, noticing Trish casting a knowing look in his direction.

"He sends one of his servants to check in with me every two days, and I only spoke with him earlier this morning. It seems Abraxas is growing impatient with me." Elis murmured, fear lighting his eyes.

"So, it was you who kept breaking in all over the city?" Trish asked, her eyes widening with understanding.

"Yes. I knew the legendary devil hunter lived somewhere in the vicinity, and thus, that I would find 'Sparda'. But, I knew not where your building was located, until tonight."

Trish and Dante exchanged looks once again; it was clear to both that Abraxas must have given their guest further motivation to get the job done. Dante knew all too well how the minds of some demons worked-_especially_ the evil kind.

"I guess there's nothing for it, then." Dante announced, getting to his feet. "It looks like we'll have to prepare a warm welcome for your friend."

Elis looked up at Dante, perplexed. "You want me to call him here?"

"Correct."

Elis' gaze flicked between the half devil and Trish, confusion in his golden eyes, his mouth set in a grim frown.

"Trust me," Dante grinned down at him, "we'll get your family back, and we'll take this Abraxas guy down a few pegs while we're at it."

Elis' expression went back and forth between fear and gratitude, his eyes wide as perspiration broke out across his forehead.

"Are you sure this is wise?" Trish asked, voicing her own concern in regards to the plan's success. "If we fail, his family could be in jeopardy."

"And that's why you're my back up, babe." He winked at her, before turning back to Elis. "Now both of you listen closely…"

* * *

It was still a gamble; Dante knew that better than anyone. But, the half devil was confident his plan would work. Armed with the knowledge that Abraxas only had ten other demons in his employ, and that he would bring all of them, along with Elis' family, in exchange for the sword, Dante knew victory was assured.

"We could really use Lady and Nero, right about now." Trish cast Dante a worried frown, both pistols in hand.

"I agree, babe. But unfortunately, Lady is hell-knows-where, and Nero couldn't get here from Fortuna in time if _his _life depended on it…let alone someone else's."

Grinning reassuringly at both Trish and Elis, the devil hunter put a hand to his chest. "You have my word that this will not fail. Just keep to your parts, and I'll take care of the rest."

Elis still frowned uncertainly, but did as instructed. Hefting the large blade, he placed 'Sparda' in front of him, the tip of the blade resting against the floor. Trish took up her position, behind the kitchenette door, which was propped open to keep her concealed, while still close at hand for Abraxas' arrival.

Dante leapt up the stairs, crouching on the dark landing as he peered through the banister's rod iron spindles. All of the lights had been turned off in order to support the story that Elis had broken into the empty office.

In a clear, ringing voice, Elis spoke the incantation that Abraxas had forced on him, as a means of letting him know when the sword was found.

A sparking violet portal opened in front of him, the air sizzling with supernatural energy. From its depths came a tall, broad shouldered Demon Lord, along with an entourage of servants. The Demon Lord's eyes glowed a fierce red, his thick jaw like granite, his complexion a mixture of grey and green. Short black hair swept back from his forehead, his entire body covered in steel armour, a helm tucked under his one arm. His servants varied from gruesome and monstrous, to humanoid and refined.

Dante doubted they were in their demonic forms, but didn't have time to ponder on it further.

"At last, 'Sparda' belongs to me." Abraxas' voice boomed, tainted by demon dialect.

"And my family," Elis asked meekly. "You promised they would be returned to me, unharmed."

Abraxas gave a snort, a look of disgust on his face. "I am a man of my word." He snarled, gesturing for one of his servants to bring them forward.

"Elis!" Cried a thin, feline-like demon. From the tone of voice, Dante was certain this was Elis' wife. Her eyes were almond shaped, glowing a fierce green in the blackness of the shop. Three small demons stood with her, all a mixture of their mother and father, two of which the devil hunter was sure were boys.

_It's show time._ Dante concluded.

At the exact same time that he leapt over the railing, Trish came out from behind the door, her guns trained on the demon servants. Charging her guns with lightning, she shot rapidly, taking each servant down before Abraxas could as much as turn his head.

Rushing forward, Trish came between the Demon Lord and Elis' family. Casting a glance at Elis, she nodded. The demon threw 'Sparda' over his shoulder, dodging out of the way as Abraxas brought his own broadsword to bear on the smaller male demon.

The sound of steel-on-steel rang throughout the high-ceilinged room, Abraxas' eyes widening in dismay as he realized he'd missed his mark. In Elis' place stood Dante, Rebellion raised as blade struggled against blade, the sword 'Sparda' tightly gripped in his other hand.

Casting a furtive glance to his left, the half devil was relieved to see that Elis had his own sword in hand, and was standing alongside Trish, guarding his family. He tossed 'Sparda' to the she-devil, Trish catching it with ease while keeping Luce trained on the Demon Lord, Ombra secured at her hip.

Gripping Rebellion tightly with his left hand, Dante brought Ivory out, unleashing a salvo on Abraxas. The Demon Lord leapt backward, evading the attack. Strafing from side to side, he seemed to be looking for an opening.

Grinning, Dante rushed forward. He wasn't about to give him a single second, let alone an opening. Thrusting Rebellion forward, he pierced the thick armour, Abraxas letting out a strangled gasp, blood flying from his mouth.

Twisting the blade, Dante tore it out, blood spurting all over the polished wooden floor. Careful not to slip in it, he moved sideways, firing his pistol rapidly. A single bullet pierced above Abraxas' eyebrow, the Demon Lord letting loose with an outraged howl.

With a final downward slash, Dante split the Demon Lord from skull to waist. Abraxas choked on a mixture of blood and bile, and fell to the floor with a _thud._

Gurgling, his eyes widened, tracking to where Elis stood. With a final rattle of breath, silence fell, the body turning to ash just like the servants before him.

* * *

Several moments later, Elis stood, bowing before Trish and Dante, his family following suit.

"I can't thank you enough, for all you have done for us." Elis declared, his amber eyes aglow with gratitude.

"As long as you never try to rule the human world, that will be thanks enough for me." Dante replied.

"Fear not," Elis chuckled, "I would never attempt something so fool-hardy. Besides, I am more than content in the Demon Realm, and Aidra herself, is half human." He gestured toward his wife.

Surely enough, despite her feline-demon appearance, she bore the same physical structure of a human woman; along with her raven hair and elongated nose.

Dante chuckled, scratching his head in wonder. It was refreshing to see that his father had not been the only demon to fall in love with a human.

"Well, we must be on our way." Elis bowed again. "If you ever require a favour, do not hesitate to ask."

Amber eyes met blue ones; this time both warm with amusement.

"Take care of yourself, and that family of yours." Dante saluted, Trish offering her own wave with a smile.

Power crackled through the air as the portal opened once again, and with a flash, Elis and his family were gone.

Trish came to stand next to Dante, resting a hand on his shoulder. Casting a look around, she heaved a sigh. "Well, I guess there's nothing left to do, but clean up."

His eyes darted around the room; between the broken window, glass shards, blood and piles of ash, they had their work cut out for them.

Throwing his coat back onto his desk, Dante rolled up the sleeves of his shirt. "Well, guess we better get started, then…"


	20. Chapter 20: Celebration

**Hello again, to all my readers and reviewers. I'd like to point out, that this chapter (beyond the first half) didn't come very easily to me. In fact, I had a hard time wrapping it up. O_O But, I did bring the chapter to a close, and I can only hope that it is satisfactory for all of you. As always, I thank you for taking the time to read my DMC one-shot series, and welcome helpful suggestions and concrit. :)**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Devil May Cry, or the characters. They are the property of Capcom. This fanfiction is non-profit, and purely for entertainment.**

* * *

_**Celebration**_

Dante tugged on the uncomfortably stiff collar around his neck, willing the summer breeze to cool him down in the unbearably humid afternoon sun.

Letting out a sigh, he resigned himself to his fate. If only he could have worn his usual attire, he wouldn't be so disgruntled; he definitely was _not_ a tuxedo man.

_Oh, well. At least Trish let me pick out the colour. _He mused, grinning appreciatively at the deep red of both the top and bottom. Underneath he wore a white button up shirt-the source of his stiff-collared misery-along with a silk bowtie. Shiny black dress shoes complemented the tux, and fortunately for him, Trish had not made him do anything 'special' with his hair. It was just the way he liked it; loose, wild, and _sexy_.

Looking at himself in the full-length mirror, Dante had to admit; he did look an impressive figure in the tux. Of course, he wasn't about to admit this out loud…if he gave Trish an inch, she'd take him for a mile.

Scrutinizing the man beside him, he smiled impishly. "Nervous, kid?" he asked, watching as the younger man fiddled with his tie for about the tenth time.

Nero wore a deep, rich blue suit with a white undershirt, a plain black silk tie around his neck. He wore black military boots, his hair styled in its usual way. The suit contrasted nicely with his Devil Bringer, keeping the demonic arm from being the focal point, for a change.

Nero's sapphire eyes slid in his direction, his complexion paler than usual.

Dante chuckled quietly. "Take it easy, kid. Deep breaths; you're going to be fine."

Nero tried to smile, but it came as a pained grimace. Letting out a frustrated growl, he threw up his hands, giving up on the tie. Stepping forward, Dante reached out with his gloved hands, rescuing Nero from further agitation. Looping the tie gracefully, he pulled it tight.

"There. You're lookin' good, kid. Just like a real groom should." He winked, patting the former knight on the shoulder.

The day had finally come; Nero and Kyrie were getting hitched, and had invited everyone from the _Devil May Cry_ to attend. On top of this, Dante had been given the prestigious honour of being Nero's best man. Well, in all technicality, he was his _only_ man…but, Dante wasn't one to quibble over such minute details.

Patty had been charged with being the flower girl, Morrison the ring bearer, and Trish had the pleasure of being Kyrie's Maid of Honour.

Giving Nero another reassuring pat, Dante left the groom's tent, deciding to check on the rest of the wedding preparations.

His eyes drifted from one side of the reception area to the other. He couldn't deny; the young couple had picked a really nice place to say their 'I dos'.

The reception was to take place outside of the opera house where Dante had originally crash-landed only three years before. Since there would be many people attending-the numbers in Fortuna had expanded a great deal over the years, not to mention the out of town guests-Kyrie had decided an outdoor service would be much more enjoyable, than being cramped inside of the theatre. Despite its high ceiling and airways, the opera house could get rather hot, with so many bodies crammed into it all at once.

A lattice archway sat in front of the newly reconstructed fountain, creeping vines with light blue flowers decorating it. Spread out in front were several rows of slightly plush folding chairs for those attending the big event; in the middle of the seating arrangements, a lush red carpet led up to the archway, where a small wooden podium had been placed.

Many of the towns' people were already in their seats, murmuring softly amongst themselves as they waited. Running a hand through his hair, Dante decided now was as good a time as any to take up his position. No sooner had the thought come to him, when Nero joined his side; the youth still looked nervous, but his pallor had improved.

"Remember kid, breathe." Dante whispered. With that, he moved forward, standing just off to the right of the archway, Nero standing next to him on the red carpet.

Dante glanced up at Trish, unable to stop himself from smiling. The she-devil's usual tight leather was replaced with a shimmering, form-fitting silver gown. Thin straps held the garment on her shoulders, a set of silver open-toed heels on her feet. A delicate silver chain rested on her collarbone with beads of lapis resting in an oval pendant; Trish looked very tasteful, in a way that wouldn't out-do the bride, but complement her.

The demoness cast Dante a hungry look, taking in his more-dapper-than-usual appearance with fervor. The half devil chuckled, drawing Nero's attention.

"Huh? Did you say something, Dante?" He asked, his eyes darting around distractedly.

"Nothing at all, kid. C'mon, relax. You look like you're ready to bolt." Dante teased.

Before Nero could reply, soft music began to play over the large speakers behind the fountain. On cue, Patty walked down the aisle in a frilly white dress complete with black ribbon-not unlike the one she had owned a few years ago, only larger-scattering white flower petals along the way.

Coming to the end of her task, the thirteen-year-old took a seat between Lady and Morrison in the front row. Lady wore a simple black gown with a black and gold shawl, along with a pair of slip on heels. Morrison wore a dark grey suit with a red tie; his light brown hair slicked back, traces of grey showing at his temples.

Dante grinned at them, winking as he 'subtly' gestured toward the panic-stricken man beside him. This hadn't gone unnoticed by Nero, thanks to Patty's efforts to stifle a sudden fit of giggles.

Casting a sharp look at Dante, the younger man elbowed him in the ribs, subduing his quiet laughter.

The half devil gave him an apologetic grin, his eyes glinting mischievously. Nero tore his gaze from the elder with a resigned shake of his head, his eyes coming to rest on Kyrie as she walked down the aisle.

The maiden's copper hair was pulled back in a plaited braid, a wreath of white flowers atop her head. She wore a simple white bridal gown; it had thick straps that graced her fair shoulders, the gown tapering at her waist, and flowing around her ankles. Across the top of the gown and along the bottom, were pearl sequins. Beneath the hem of the dress, her low-heeled white shoes were just visible.

Nero let out a gasp as he studied her. Dante couldn't blame him; Kyrie truly was a vision of beauty. A light blush crept across her face at the shared looks she received from all gathered, and she continued down the aisle, a bouquet of wildflowers clasped in her hands.

Coming to stand next to Nero, she gave him a shy smile, her soft brown eyes dropping shyly when they met Dante's blue-grey ones. It seemed no matter how long she'd known Dante, Kyrie would never get passed her shyness around him.

With that, the four at the altar turned as the minister cleared his throat. A kindly older man, he only stood as high as Kyrie's shoulder, and was rather plump around the middle. A swath of greying hair sat at his temple, receding slightly. His eyes were a soft green, and he gave them all a generous smile.

"Welcome, to our groom and bride to be, along with all of those assembled," he greeted, his hands outstretched to encompass the entire congregation. "We are gathered here today…"

* * *

Less than twenty minutes later, the wedding reception came to an end, Nero and Kyrie sharing their first kiss as husband and wife.

As they pulled apart, Dante let out an 'aww', earning another elbow to the ribs from Nero. Chuckling, he placed a hand on both Nero and Kyrie's shoulders, grinning widely at them. "Congratulations, you two." He said, giving them a wink.

Kyrie blushed, before pulling Dante into a gentle hug. The half devil returned the embrace, moving on to drape an arm around Nero's shoulders, squeezing him in a half hug.

Nero grinned lopsidedly, "You can be a real pain in the ass sometimes old man." He declared, giving Dante a smirk.

Before the devil hunter could reply in mock fury, Nero continued on. "But, I owe you a lot. If it weren't for you, Kyrie and I might not be here today, let alone married. So, I just wanted to say…thank you. You know…for everything."

"You feeling alright, kid?" Dante joked, putting a hand to Nero's forehead. Nero brushed him off with a laugh, his gaze dropping as he rubbed the back of his neck in slight discomfiture.

"Don't sweat it, kid. As much of a pain in the ass _you_ were throughout all of that, what with you beating the crap outta me, having to save your rear-end from Sanctus, and whatnot," Dante grinned as Nero's blush deepened, "I'd do it all again; every last agonizing bit of it."

Nero looked up at him, his expression relaxing into one of gratitude. "I never did apologize for all the hell I put you through."

Dante held up a hand at this. "And you're not about to; it's your big day kid, and besides…none of it was your fault."

Kyrie, returning from her rounds of thanking everyone for attending, came up to the white-haired men, smiling brightly. "Dante, would you and the others care to join us for dinner this evening? We'll be going to the _Restaurant Café_. All of their dishes are prepared from scratch; I'm sure they'll have your favourite pizza."

"Say no more," Dante winked, "you don't have to twist my arm. Of course we'll join you."

A giggle came from beside the half devil, giving him a start. "You know Dante; the promise of pizza wins him over every time."

Before he could retort, Lady cut across him. "So, what time would you like us to meet with you guys?" She asked Kyrie, ignoring Dante and Patty's silent bickering beside her.

"Six-thirty, if you're all okay with that." Kyrie replied, covering her mouth with a hand to hide her smile; Patty had just elbowed Dante in the stomach none-too-gently, causing the others to laugh heartily as he groaned.

"That's what you get for messing up my hair." The blonde teenager sniffed, folding her arms over her chest.

"I wasn't trying to mess it up." Dante gasped, glowering at her. "I'll make you pay for that…"

Patty only smirked back at him, as if to say, _Yeah right. Bring it on!_

"Six-thirty will be fine." Trish spoke up, smiling warmly at the red-head. "For now, you two enjoy your solitude." She gave them a knowing wink, causing both bride and groom to blush even more than before.

Clearing his throat, Nero pointed to the large double doors behind them. "If you go through there, and continue on straight, you'll find Fortuna Inn, along with a bar and restaurant, on the main strip."

Dante shook his head in amusement. "Kid, have you forgotten? I know this place inside and out."

Nero rubbed his neck, unable to meet the elder hunter's gaze as he chortled to himself. "Oh, right."

"Well, we'll get out of your hair now," Lady smirked, yanking on Dante's arm, Trish doing the same on the opposite side, ignoring his protests. "See you two in a couple of hours!"

* * *

A couple of hours later, everyone filed into the restaurant, having donned their more casual clothing.

Dinner went pleasantly, Dante actually managing to be on his best behaviour throughout. When Trish and Patty both gave him a stern look, he also managed to acquire some table manners, taking smaller bites and refraining from belching out loud.

Taking the last bite of his 'everything but olives' pan pizza, he let out a satisfied sigh, and rubbed his stomach contently as he leaned back in his seat.

Waiting for everyone else to finish up their own meal, Dante only half listened to the buzz of conversation. Lady and Trish were regaling everyone with a tale of one of their missions, one the half devil was more than familiar with. Patty listened intently, her mouth slightly agape; Morrison excused himself from the table, deciding to go outside for a much-needed after dinner smoke. Kyrie gasped and laughed at all the appropriate times during the female devil hunters' story, while Nero finished off the last of his beef wellington.

"So the next thing I know, this huge demon with tentacles has me in its grasp, and then Trish…" Lady laughed when she came to this part, shaking her head. "Well then Trish says to me, 'How nice for you, looks like this fry isn't quite so small.' I could have died, right then and there."

"How come you guys never mentioned this before?" Patty laughed. "It definitely would have alleviated some of the tension from that day."

Lady laughed, shrugging. "It just didn't seem important at the time. Besides, it took until now for me to be able to really laugh about it. Back then? Not so much." She finished with a shudder.

"Not to mention anything you and Trish have to say on the matter is pale in comparison to what I went through that day." Dante smirked. "I did put an end to Sid, and destroyed Abigail's power, after all."

"Don't make it sound like you were the _only_ hero that day." Trish scoffed at him, her eyes dancing playfully. "We did manage to save quite a few lives on our own, while you took a trip through La-La land."

Dante shook his head in wry amusement. He knew Trish was only trying to bait him, and he'd be damned if he rose to it. Besides, they all knew better; they had all contributed in their own way. Even Morrison, when he evacuated people from the hotel, while doing what he could to protect Nina and Patty.

As the buzz of conversation started up again, this time with Nero telling them of a recent mission he'd gone on in the mining town of Ferrum Hills, Dante let his mind wander, once again.

Taking a slow sip of his ice wine, he savoured the tangy flavour, allowing it to roll over each one of his taste buds. Smiling to himself, he realized the union of Nero and Kyrie was not the only cause for celebration tonight. What with all the missions he'd been on lately, Dante hadn't seen much of any of them for over a month. Nero was constantly busy between missions and wedding plans, Patty was always making up for lost time with her mother, doing fun and exciting things, and Lady and Trish were often gone, as well; sometimes apart, and sometimes together. Morrison was only around long enough to give him a job, and even then, sometimes the elder gentleman was swamped with other agents and his own clients.

Dante knew he would never truly lose contact with any of them in his life; however, he knew, as time wore on, they all would have to attend to other aspects of their lives. Now that Nero and Kyrie were married, how often would he see them? Would the kid still seek him out for sparring practice, and the occasional male bonding time? Now that Patty was getting older, how much longer before she was swamped with a social life with people her own age, a boyfriend, a job?

"Hey Dante, are you alright?"

The half devil gave his head a shake, his eyes meeting Patty's. The blonde teen frowned at him, her brows furrowed with concern.

Looking around the table, he noticed everyone else had stopped talking; they were all staring at him, though judging by the flickers of confusion, it was only because Patty had drawn their attention to him.

Dante gave them his most charming smile. "Of course I am. Sorry, I was just lost in thought."

Without missing a beat, Lady snorted. "That's a bit hard to imagine. What did you do, take a wrong turn?"

Dante stared at Lady for a long moment, neither one of them breaking eye contact. Everyone else seemed uncertain as to how they should react, their eyes darting back and forth between the half devil and woman.

Lady was the first to cave, laughing. Dante followed suit, and soon enough, the whole table surrendered to mirth.

As Lady wiped a tear from her eye, Dante only grinned in smug satisfaction. "You laughed first, so I guess I win."

"Given how often you lose, it's not much of a victory."

A mixture of giggles and groans went around the table. Dante let out a sigh, and took another sip of his wine. When everyone was done, they rose from the table, and filed out of the restaurant, still chatting companionably.

Dante cast another wistful look at the group, meeting Nero's gaze. Dawning lit the younger hunter's eyes, and he gave the half devil a wry smile.

Sidling up to him, he grasped Dante's shoulder, murmuring so that no one else could hear him.

"Is age catching up with you, old man? Worried that no one will visit you anymore? Don't worry," he said with a smirk, "_I'll_ always come around to pick on your wrinkly old ass."

Dante let out a playful growl, and before Nero could react, the elder hunter tackled him to the ground. As they wrestled on the ground, Dante caught snippets of what the others were saying.

"Unbelievable."

"In the middle of the street? Honestly, Dante!"

"Did we miss something, here?"

"Some things never change…"

Dante grinned at the last, finally releasing Nero from his grasp, the younger hunter shooting him a look that was part irritation, part amusement.

_Some things never change…_ In a world where the company he kept was the only constant, that's _exactly_ what he was counting on.


	21. Chapter 21: Warrior

**Greetings, loyal readers! First of all, I must give a big 'thank you' to Satanic Park of Madness. Your constant reviews are a welcome sight, and make me happy to know you're enjoying this series thus far. I'd also like to thank those of you who have reviewed in the past, and have added my story to your favourites. I hopefully will continue to entertain you with my non-sensical DMC ramblings. ;)**

**Disclaimer:**** Devil May Cry and its characters are the property of Capcom. Much as I would like to, I do not own them. This fanfiction is purely for enjoyment, and is non-profit.**

* * *

_**Warrior**_

"Shit!"

The curse drew Dante's attention to the dark-haired woman standing beside him. Her mismatched eyes were narrowed, baring her teeth as she stifled the pain that shot through her right leg.

Glancing down, he inwardly winced at the deep gash that ran from just below her knee up to her hip. Her shorts and plaid skirt were slightly tattered from where the demon's barbed tail had struck, the area around the wound turning an angry red.

"When this is over, we'll have to disinfect that." He told her, averting his gaze as the demon launched another attack.

The duo leapt apart as the demon's massive claw came down, smashing the pavement where they had just been standing.

"_We_ don't have to do anything," Lady declared, "I can handle it, myself." Levelling both her pistol and her submachine gun, Lady shot at the larger-than-normal creature, her bullets piercing its thick armoured skin.

"We've been friends a long time, Lady." Dante replied, unleashing his own salvo on the Assault class demon. "Why is it that you don't trust me, exactly?"

The demon let out a shriek, both devil hunters clapping their hands over their ears at the shrill cry.

_Just great,_ Dante thought bitterly, _it just had to call in reinforcements._

"Who said anything about trust?" Lady countered, frowning uncertainly at the half devil. "I just prefer to take care of myself, that's all."

Dante heaved a sigh, both Ebony and Ivory held aloft at the approaching pack of Assaults. At least these ones were smaller than their leader…

"What d'ya say, Lady?" He glanced over his shoulder at her, assuming a defensive position. "For old times' sake?"

Lady smirked, having understood exactly what Dante was asking. Placing her back against his, she held her guns out, and surveyed the demons closing in on them.

Without another word, both hunters rapid fired, trailing their guns back and forth to meet each one of the demons. The bullets only seemed to slow the well-armoured quadrupeds, but Dante knew that with enough firepower, the demons would drop like flies. Holstering his twin pistols, he reached back beneath his coat, and pulled out Coyote-A. He shot the oncoming demons over and over, clicking the shotgun quickly with each reload. He had noticed long ago that it worked better on this class of demon, than any other gun in his possession.

Catching his signal, Lady leapt up and over, spinning over the crowd of demons as she lifted her beloved missile launcher from her back. Targeting a group of four Assaults as they sprang toward Dante, she fired, flipping backward to avoid the explosion.

Dante rolled off to the side, just dodging the attack by a split second. "Hey, watch it, will you?" He stared at Lady reproachfully as she landed beside him.

"What was that you were saying about 'trust' before? Besides, you've been in enough battles with me to know when to move." She countered, grinning.

'Heh…" Dante smirked back at her, and grabbed his sword from his back. With a forward slash, he took out the remaining demons as he unleashed a shockwave of demonic power. With a last agonized cry, the Assaults vanished in a puff of acrid green vapour.

Securing his weapons to their customary places, Dante cast a victorious grin in Lady's direction. The grin faded, as his eyes came to rest on her still form, lying on the ground.

"Lady!" He bellowed, rushing to her side. He knelt down, and placed two of his fingers to her neck, in the hollow of her collarbone. She still had a pulse, but it was very faint. Letting out a sigh of relief, he slid one arm beneath her shoulders, the other in the crook behind her knees. Gently lifting her up, he ran full tilt, cradling her unconscious form close to his chest.

_Just hang in there, Lady. I won't let you down, I promise…_

* * *

A low moan startled Dante into wakefulness, the half devil dropping from his chair into a defensive crouch, his eyes sweeping across the room with Ebony in his left hand.

Seeing the blankets on the bed directly in front of him stir, he grinned ruefully to himself, putting the pistol away. Getting up, he sat on the edge of the bed, and gently shook Lady's shoulder.

"Hey, Lady. Come on babe; don't leave me hanging, here." He murmured softly, staring intently at her pale face. He brushed a sweat-soaked lock of hair from her forehead, her blue and red eyes fluttering open.

Letting out another groan, she sat up slowly, gasping as a sharp pain coursed through her leg. Dante gripped her upper arm supportively, his blue eyes searching her face in apprehension.

"Are you alright?" He asked her, rubbing her shoulder soothingly.

"Yeah…" She replied, her voice tinged with pain. "What…what the hell happened?" She groggily put a hand to her head, shutting her eyes tightly as another wave of pain hit her.

"We had just finished off that group of demons, and you collapsed." The half devil replied. "No doubt thanks to that wound on your leg."

Lady pulled back the blanket, eyeing the patch job Dante had done to her injured leg. She still wore her somewhat tattered clothes, though thankfully nothing she didn't already show could be seen. A thick layer of gauze covered her from her hip down to her knee. Judging by how tender her leg felt, he'd also stitched her up. Wincing, Lady swung both legs over to the opposite side of the bed, stopping as Dante grasped her shoulder.

"Hey, just where do you think you're going?" He narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously.

The brunette gave him a disparaging glance over her shoulder, wrenching her arm from his grasp. "To the bathroom, if it pleases your Highness." She replied dryly.

Dante let out a snort, and dropped his arm onto the bed. "Just take it easy, will you? I don't need you messin' up my handiwork, there."

Lady ignored him, and made her way out of Dante's room. Once he heard the click of the bathroom door, the half devil decided to make his way downstairs. He had kept a vigilant watch over Lady for two full days; coffee was definitely in order.

_Geez, I know she's proud and all, but would it kill her to occasionally throw a 'thank you' my way?_ He made his way into the kitchenette, a sigh ghosting passed his lips. Pouring himself a cup of the dark, rich liquid, Dante raised the mug to his lips, and took a long swig.

Hearing the upstairs bathroom door open, he grabbed a secondary mug, and filled it to the rim, adding a spoonful of sugar. He walked into the main part of his office, watching as Lady gingerly made her way down the stairs.

When her gaze met his, he nodded his head, gesturing toward the sitting area. Lady smiled in understanding, her smile turning into a grimace as she continued down the steps.

Setting the mugs down on the coffee table, Dante went over to the stairs, and offered Lady his shoulder for support. At first, the fiercely proud woman looked like she was about to protest. Her eyes narrowed at Dante, her posture stiffening.

After a handful of seconds, her stance relaxed, her eyes softening at the worried expression he no doubt wore. He could feel the tension between his eyebrows, the corners of his mouth pulling down into an uncharacteristic frown.

Draping her right arm over his shoulder, she didn't even flinch when his arm snaked around her waist, his hand coming to rest just above her left hip. Together they hobbled down the few remaining steps, and into the sitting area, where Dante deposited Lady onto the sofa as carefully as possible.

"Your leg should heal just fine," he broke the silence then, as Lady took a sip of her coffee. "But, I want you to promise me, if the pain worsens, or if it gets infected, you'll go to the hospital."

He stared at her, his gaze hardening when she looked like she was about to argue. When he refused to remove his unblinking stare from her, Lady let out a sigh, slumping in her seat.

"Okay, mother hen." She grinned at him wryly. "I promise."

"Good. Because if you didn't? I was just going to throw you over my shoulder, and take you there, anyway." His mouth widened slowly into a Cheshire cat grin, his eyes penetrating the female devil hunter's over the rim of his cup.

Giving a start, Lady eyed the half devil suspiciously. Catching the gleam in his eye, she burst out laughing, Dante chuckling along with her.

They both knew how _that_ little scenario would play out; with a whole lot of kicking, screaming, and eventually, a bullet to the half devil's forehead. Not that it would end there, of course. Dante would be damned if he let her win _that_ easily…again.

Before either of them could say another word, the antique phone rang shrilly from Dante's desk, demanding his attention.

With an aggravated sigh, he got to his feet, and strode across the room swiftly, the receiver coming up to his ear by the fourth ring. "Devil May Cry."

He listened intently as a male voice spoke the password. Turning, he caught Lady's eye, the brunette nodding her head in acknowledgment.

"Alright, I'll be right there." Hanging up, he grabbed his coat from the back of the desk chair, and threw it on. Hearing a groan from the couch, his head snapped in Lady's direction.

"Whoa there, hot stuff. You're not going anywhere. You just rest up on the couch, alright? I've got this one."

Lady unleashed a string of expletives on him, the half devil cringing, though no less amused by her outburst.

Once she had run out of insults, she stood glaring at him, her chest rising and falling with each breath. "How dare you?" She growled. "I might be hurt, but I am not passing up on a job, do you hear me?"

"You said it yourself, Lady." Dante's grin dropped, his gaze becoming fierce. "You're hurt; all the more reason to let yourself heal, while I take care of things. Besides, it's not a big deal, anyway. Just another handful of lower class demons at the library again."

Lady let out another growl, her eyes never leaving Dante's. "Screw you. You can't stop me from going." Limping quickly, her gaze swept around the room, an expression of barely contained rage on her face.

"Where are my weapons?" She glared up at the devil hunter, standing only a few feet away.

"Lady…" Dante's voice rumbled with a warning, his eyes deepening to a dangerous shade of blue.

"Don't even try that shit on me, Dante!" She prodded him in the chest. Before she could react, he had her wrist in a vice-like grip.

When she tried to retaliate, he grabbed the other wrist, holding both with one hand. This only served to infuriate Lady more. Struggling in his grasp, she lifted her good leg in an attempt to kick him.

A pained cry tore from her throat, as her wounded leg buckled under her. Still holding her wrists, Dante moved forward, wrapping his free arm around her back to keep her from falling.

Gently, he eased her onto the hardwood floor. Looking at her leg, he noticed blood pooling beneath the gauze. "Shit…you satisfied now, Lady?" He barked at her.

Running a hand over his face, he walked over to his desk, and grabbed the first aid kit. Kneeling down beside her, his expression softened. Though her face was turned away from him, he caught a glimpse of the tears trailing down her cheek.

_Damn it…_

"I'm sorry." He murmured, taking the blood-soaked gauze from her leg. Grabbing an antiseptic wipe, he gently cleaned the wound, Lady only tensing silently from the pain. Giving her stitches a once over, he began wrapping fresh gauze around the wound.

Lady put out a hand to stop him, her fingers closing gently over his.

"No, Dante. I'm the one that should be sorry…you've done nothing but help me, and all I do is act like an ungrateful child."

Slightly taken aback by this, Dante could only stare at Lady in wonder. The short-haired woman looked up at him, her expression anguished as another tear slid down her cheek.

Cupping her face with his hand, Dante ran his thumb gently across her cheek, drying her tears. He smiled at her reassuringly; it wasn't often that he saw this side of Lady, but when he did, it reminded him of how they'd become friends in the first place. Not just anyone had the privilege of seeing Lady vulnerable like this, and he knew it.

"It's okay, babe. I know you're just frustrated. You're a warrior, after all. You can't be expected to sit back idly, not when there's a fight to be had."

Lady grinned at these words, a slight blush lighting her cheeks.

"Let's say we get you bandaged up, and go take care of some demons?"

"You mean that? You'd be okay with me tagging along, handicapped as I am?" Lady asked, giving the half devil a wary look.

"You are many things, Lady." Dante chuckled. "But 'handicapped' isn't one of them."

Lady grinned back at him, before it dawned on her. "Hey, what do you mean I'm 'many things'? Was that an insult?"

"Me, insult you? I would never!" Dante declared innocently, jumping to his feet.

Grasping his hand for support, Lady only smirked in reply. There would be plenty of time to get back at the legendary devil hunter later.

Dante knew that she would; or at least, she would _try_. He chuckled quietly to himself as he grabbed his weapons, tossing Kalina-Ann over to the stubborn female hunter.

Catching her most cherished weapon with ease, she slung the missile launcher over her back, eyeing Dante as he strode forward with her pistol and submachine gun in hand.

Taking them, she grinned, Dante returning it with his own look of amusement.

Without another word, they slipped out the double doors, both relishing in the thrill of the hunt.


	22. Chapter 22: Gift

**Hello again, everyone! I wanted to thank you all for your continued reviews and support of my one-shot word prompt series. :) This chapter involves Dante (of course) along with Trish, Lady, and Patty. Also, there are some guest appearances from the anime. I'll say no more; you'll just have to see what happens from here. ;) As always, please R&R. Your feedback is much appreciated.**

**Disclaimer:**** Devil May Cry is the property of Capcom, along with the characters herein. I don't make any profit from this; this is purely for entertainment purposes, only.**

* * *

_**Gift**_

Dante blew the bangs from his forehead, and stood from the high-backed chair with a groan. He had tried several times, without success, to take a much-needed nap in his favourite spot. Unfortunately, it seemed the world had other plans…

Not that he minded overly much; after all, visits from Patty resulted in his office becoming clean to the point of being sterile, and aside from that, he really did enjoy the company of the thirteen-year-old. Sure, she tended to talk too much, mostly to bitch at him for the state of the _Devil May Cry_…but wasn't that just like most women?

Besides, he'd dealt with much worse than an overly-chatty teenaged girl…

He smirked to himself, only faltering at the look of confusion Patty shot his way.

"Dante, that has to be the creepiest smile ever. You look like you're planning someone's untimely demise." She declared, looking rather disconcerted when his predatory smile grew.

"And what makes you think I'm not?" He joked, sidling over to the jukebox, and pressing one of the buttons.

A slightly jazzy rock tune began to play, livening up the atmosphere of the large agency, the music filling the room thanks to the building's acoustics.

"Well, as long as it's not _my_ untimely demise, I'm not worried." The blonde teenager continued mopping the floor, wiping her brow with a hand as she leaned against the mop handle, and inspected her work.

"Of course it wouldn't be yours," Dante teased, "after all, who else would clean up my place for me?"

He ducked just in the nick of time, as the mop went sailing passed his head; a reflex that only time with Patty could have taught him.

Before Patty could make her own scathing reply, the double doors opened, bright sunlight washing over the lemon-scented room as two women strode inside.

"Trish, Lady!" Patty exclaimed. "It's so good to see you! Come on in, I'll make you some tea!"

The blonde and brunette smiled charismatically at the young girl, the latter removing her sunglasses as her heterochromatic eyes adjusted from sunlight to the somewhat darker room. If not for the large arched windows, the office likely would not have any lighting, at all.

"Hi, Patty, none for me thank you." Lady called out to the girl's retreating back, her eyes sweeping around the room to land on Dante.

Trish made herself comfortable on the edge of the large mahogany desk, the she-devil shrugging out of her short red leather jacket.

"Ladies," Dante spread his arms in greeting, "to what do I owe the pleasure of your company?"

Both women exchanged a look, rolling their eyes.

"We just came back from a mission, and thought we'd drop by, see how you're doing." Lady said, setting Kalina-Ann against the wall nearest the jukebox and drum set.

"Mostly we just wanted to make sure you're eating more than just pizza and sundaes every day." Trish stated wryly, her bright red lips parting into a mischievous grin.

Dante scoffed at this, and walked over to the pool table. Chalking one of the pool cues, he gathered the balls into the triangle, clacking them together as he set them up. Removing the triangle, he leaned forward, the pool cue resting on the inside edge of his other hand. Just as he was about to take his shot, a loud knock came at the door, drawing his attention.

All three devil hunters exchanged a look, before Dante strode across the room and wrenched the door open. Peering up and down the street, he saw no one. The street was strangely deserted, considering the time of day; the usual hustle and bustle replaced with complete silence. Looking down, his eyes came to rest on a large cardboard box.

"Hmm…?" Hoisting it up, he noticed that it wasn't particularly heavy, and carried it into the office with one arm.

"Hey, what's that?" Patty asked while handing a cup of tea to Trish. All three females drew nearer, their eyes alight with curiosity.

"Not a clue. It just showed up on my doorstep out of nowhere." Dante answered, gingerly putting it down.

Grabbing a knife from her belt, Lady came forward, and slashed at the tape on the upper folds of the box.

Taking a deep breath, Dante steeled himself for the possibility of it being a trap. Taking hold of the folds, he pulled them apart quickly, and peered inside. Blinking in astonishment, he pulled out a small black leather case that sat at the very top. Popping open the clasps, he let out an appreciative whistle. Inside were many _large_ bank notes. Giving a quick estimate, the half devil concluded that there was about five-thousand dollars.

_I guess it's a damn good thing I've paid off my debt to Lady, or it would already be gone by now._ He mused, grinning up at the women surrounding him.

Lady's mismatched eyes were wide, her mouth slightly agape as she no doubt also made a rough estimate of the amount. Glancing at Trish and Patty, he noted their expressions were much the same; a mixture of wonder and complete bafflement.

"Who would pay you _this_ much, and for what?" Lady wondered aloud, her eyes dropping to the cardboard box. Leaning down, she pulled out another case, this one made of a hard plastic. Before she could open it, Dante swiped it from her, giving her a reproving look.

"What? I wasn't going to take it from you," Lady narrowed her eyes at him, "I was just curious to see if there was a clue as to who sent this."

"Sure you were, Lady." Dante grinned, ignoring her sputtered protests. Opening the second case, Dante noted various cleaning tools; pristine, unused rags, bottles of gun oil, miniature scrub brushes, pipe cleaners, cleaning patches, and a cleaning mat to put everything on.

"A gun cleaning kit? Well, whoever sent this," Dante closed the case up with a snap, "they couldn't have picked a better time. I was getting low on my cleaning supplies."

Picking up the other case, the devil hunter put both down on his desk, and returned to rummaging through the cardboard box. Only three things remained; another cleaning kit with oils and terry clothes for his many swords (though Rebellion would be getting the most attention of them all), a bottle of treatment for all of his leather apparel (complete with a fire-retardant after-coat) and a thin manila envelope.

"And to think," Dante chuckled, "it's not even my birthday!" Opening the envelope last, he gave a pleasurable moan, and licked his lips.

Lady and Trish exchanged another look, as Patty glanced at the coupons in the half devil's grasp.

The blonde teenager began giggling, piquing the women's interest.

"All-you-can-eat pizza and strawberry sundaes for a year…? You have got to be kidding me." Trish laughed, shaking her head, her blonde locks swishing back and forth across her bare back.

"Whoever sent you this stuff, they seem to know you as well as we do." Lady remarked, crossing her arms with a smirk.

"So the question is; who sent this stuff?" Patty asked, peering into the dark cavern of the cardboard box. Bending forward, she snatched up a thick piece of parchment that the devil hunter had overlooked, and handed it to him.

Dante inspected it, his eyes roving over the engraved golden calligraphy, impressed with the elegant writing.

"_To Dante, for whom we are eternally grateful;_

_Please, accept these gifts as a token of our continued gratitude, in return for what you did for us three years ago, today._

_Signed,_

_Those whom you changed the lives of forever."_

* * *

"Well, that narrows it down." Dante scoffed several minutes later. He had allowed the others to look the note over as well, just in the event there was something he had missed. None of them recognized the writing, nor could they think of one specific mission (after all, there had been so many!) that had merited such generous anonymous gift-giving.

Pouring a glass of red wine, the half devil took a long sip, his eyes glazing in contemplation. Could it have been that rich family he'd saved from a pack of Frosts? No, that had only been last winter…

Maybe it was that treasure hunting guy, Tim; and Elena, his famous 'Rock Queen' girlfriend? That was more of a possibility, and yet, Dante didn't think so. In fact, he was certain it wasn't them; they had already given him compensation for a job well done. A pristine copy of Elena's record, along with a massive basket filled with fruits, meats, and more wine than a normal man could drink. Fortunately, Dante was anything _but_ a normal man…

"Well, whoever it's from," he spoke suddenly, startling the others out of their own thoughts, "it looks like I won't be going hungry for a long time."

At this, Trish groaned. "Please tell me you're not going to eat only pizza and sundaes for as long as those coupons are valid?"

"Of course not," Dante reassured her. Before Trish could let out a sigh of relief, he continued, "it'll just be what I _mostly_ eat."

Trish groaned again, and began massaging her temples; it was Dante's favourite past-time to drive just about everyone around him crazy, and the demoness was _no_ exception.

"You're so lucky. Between your demonic blood and your job, you won't get fat. Though with the way _you_ eat, it would serve you right if you did." Lady sniffed, glaring at the half devil scornfully.

"Don't hate the player babe." Dante chortled, nudging her playfully with his elbow. "Hate the game."

Lady elbowed him back, sharing much the same expression as Trish, by this time.

_Small victories though they may be, a victory is still a victory. _Dante chuckled quietly to himself, mentally tallying up his 'winnings'.

"Dante, I bet I know who sent that!" Patty exclaimed suddenly, striking the palm of her hand with a fist, a slow smile appearing on her face.

All three devil hunters turned to peer at the girl, Dante cocking his eyebrow as he waited for her to continue.

"Do you remember the Mayor from Capulet city? What was his daughter's name..." Patty chewed on her finger nail for a moment, before lighting up.

"Angelina!" She blurted out, at the same time as the half devil.

"You know Patty, you could be right." Dante gave a nod, a thoughtful expression on his face as he lightly scratched the whiskers on his chin. "She and that demon Bradley did go on to live a happy life together."

"I wonder where they got the money to do all of this, though…" Patty pondered.

Just then, a secondary knock came at the door. All four companions looked at one another, Dante grinning as he crossed the room.

"I don't know Patty, but I have a feeling we're about to find out…"

* * *

Not quite ten minutes later, Patty, the three devil hunters, and their two guests took up residence in the sitting room. Steaming cups of coffee filled their hands, silence reigning as everyone either savoured the bold flavour of their beverages, or lost themselves in thought.

Dante sat in the middle of the sofa, Trish and Lady on either side of him, with Patty squeezed in next to Lady. Angelina sat in the armchair, with Bradley leaning casually against the side of it.

"We had a feeling it was you two," Dante remarked, "We'd just arrived upon that conclusion, in fact, before you came to the door."

"After everything you did for us, we couldn't possibly pass up an opportunity to show our gratitude." Bradley explained, green eyes peering through his glasses at the renowned devil hunter.

"We felt badly about you not receiving payment at the time," Angelina added, giving Dante an apologetic smile, "so, we agreed that once we had the means, we would thank you in our own way."

"Well, that is very kind of you." Dante returned the smile, the bespectacled woman blushing profusely. "How did you come by the means, exactly?"

"Angelina opened a floral shop, specializing in flower arrangement for special occasions, funerals, and floral wreaths for the grave sites of those who have passed. Shortly after, I came into a bit of property, and opened a chain of book stores."

"Must be quite the lucrative business…" Dante commented, taking a sip from his coffee mug.

"It would seem so." Bradley smiled. "So, are the gifts to your liking?"

Dante nodded, leaning back to drape his arms over the back of the sofa. "More than to my liking; they're just what I need. How did you know what to get me, exactly?"

At this, Bradley flushed. "Well…let's just say I ran a bit of surveillance, in that regard."

"You were spying on me?" Dante quirked an eyebrow; amusement tugged at the corners of his mouth, as he watched the humanized demon redden further.

"In a manner of speaking…yes, you could say I was spying on you."

Dante waved a hand dismissively at Bradley's discomfort. "Don't sweat it. In this case, I can hardly be upset about it, considering what's resulted from it."

Patty giggled knowingly at this, Dante casting an amused glance her way before returning his attention to the couple sitting opposite from him.

"Well, if you ever need floral arrangements in the future, be sure to come to my shop." Angelina beamed at the half devil, glancing quickly at Trish and Lady at the same time. "I can give whatever you need for half price. We also make custom bouquets for all of our brides-to-be."

At this, Dante choked on his coffee, Trish and Lady exchanging startled looks.

After pounding his chest for a moment, the half devil cleared his throat. "Come again?"

Angelina's brow furrowed into a look of uncertainty. "Oh…well, I just thought perhaps that one of your lady friends might be…that is to say…"

Dante hastened to rescue the shy brunette. "Oh…no, it's nothing like that for us." he said quickly, taking another sip of his coffee to soothe his raw throat, "Thank you, though. If uh…anything like that comes up, I'll be sure to give you a call."

After a long silence, Trish jumped to her feet, glancing at everyone else with an unusually red face. "So, would anyone like a refill?"

* * *

Several hours later, long after Bradley and Angelina had bid the devil hunter farewell, Trish and Lady had also taken their leave. From the way the female devil hunter and she-devil scurried out the door, there was no question as to why they were so eager to leave.

Dante had openly chuckled at this, causing Patty to look at him with mild concern. It hadn't taken more than a few minutes for the blonde girl to catch on, her mouth gaping in surprise before giving in to her own laughter.

Shortly after, the teenager bid Dante goodnight, as she had an early morning with her mother planned. Waving casually from the couch, Dante laid back, listening as the door gave an audible _click_.

Interlocking his fingers at the back of his head, Dante let out a sigh. After a long, somewhat awkward day, he was finally getting the peace and relaxation he so desperately craved.

Before drifting off into slumber, his face settled into a ghost of a smile, his eyes half closed, crinkled at the corners. Thinking back to how Bradley had proven to be more human than well….most humans, and how he, Dante, had spared his life as a result, made the hunter happy. There had been times when he had wondered if he'd made the right call; times when he had wondered what had become of the human/demon couple.

Now, there was no more reason to second guess his actions, no more reason to wonder. Now he knew, and by some rare chance, he had been rewarded for an action that he had taken with no intention of being rewarded.

_It's nice to be appreciated, every now and then._ With a final yawn, the half devil fell asleep, the only sound in the office the steady ticking of the grandfather clock.


	23. Chapter 23: Mentor

**Hello, all! I'm back with another chapter focusing on the Nero and Dante bond. Some humour and fluff, as always. :) And of course, I'd like to thank all of my dedicated readers and reviewers. I hope this chapter is to your liking, and as always, I encourage any and all feedback. So, enjoy! ;)**

**Disclaimer:**** Much as I would like to (I know, it's been said many a-time), I do not own Devil May Cry, or any of the characters. They are the property of Capcom. This fanfiction is non-profit, and solely for entertainment.**

* * *

_**Mentor**_

Dante brought his sword up quickly, Rebellion meeting Red Queen halfway through Nero's downward swing. For a moment, the two devil hunters struggled, the blades singing as neither swordsman backed down, sparks flying from where the blades met.

Dante gritted his teeth, and leapt backward, breaking contact so quickly that Nero stumbled forward. Catching himself, the younger hunter came to a halt, steadying his sword in front of him as Dante ran forward, thrusting the tip of his claymore toward him. At the last second, Nero parried the thrust, knocking the opposing blade to one side as he dodged in the opposite direction, a ghost of a smile playing upon his lips.

Compensating for the younger man's deflection, Dante twirled, bringing his left leg out in a sweeping kick. Nero jumped up at the same moment, avoiding the attack with practiced ease. It had taken him several sparring practices with the elder hunter, but once he worked out his timing, it was as though the kid was an old pro.

Dante grinned, watching as Nero gripped his sword in both hands preparing for another downward slash.

_I guess predictability is the next thing we need to work on._ Dante mused, raising Rebellion to meet the blade. At the same time, Dante ran forward, and leaning backward, slid underneath Nero on his knees, the tip of the durandal striking the ground where he had been mere seconds before.

Wasting no time, he jumped up, swinging around to parry another attack. Nero let out a frustrated growl, his right arm flashing a whitish-blue to further convey his irritation.

"Easy, kid." Dante warned him, pushing the youth back with Rebellion. Nero stumbled, but righted himself quickly, blocking a horizontal sweep the elder hunter made with his sword.

Once again the blades were locked together, both devil hunters standing their ground. Letting out a snarl, Nero brought his Devil Bringer forward; the demonic arm projecting a larger version as it slammed Dante into the ground.

The half devil let out a pained groan, rubbing his sore neck, where the demonic arm had impacted.

"Oh, shit…" Nero muttered, dropping down beside Dante on one knee.

"You're damn right, 'oh shit'," the elder hunter glowered up at him, coughing from the dust as it settled, "What happened to 'swords only'?"

Nero shrugged, a slight blush creeping into his cheeks as he rubbed the back of his neck with his left hand. "I…um…well…"

"You lost control of your temper again, is what happened." Dante admonished, sitting up slowly, his eyes never leaving Nero's face.

Nero got to his feet, looking abashed as he extended his hand to the half devil.

"I'm sorry..." The younger hunter's voice was soft, tinged with guilt.

Dante's expression softened; it was clear that Nero hadn't meant to lose control. It had been out of impulse. The kid was still learning how to rein in his inner devil, after all. Dante hadn't been much different, in his younger years; he couldn't rightly fault Nero for what he had undergone, himself.

Accepting the proffered hand, he pulled himself up with Nero's assistance, and patted the youth on the shoulder. "Don't worry about it, kid. I think we're done for today, anyway."

Before Nero turned, Dante caught the look of disappointment on his face, the youth's gaze dropping to the leaf-strewn ground.

"Kid…?" Dante put Rebellion over his shoulder, securing the sword in its usual spot on his back, wedged diagonally from his right shoulder to the left corner of his leather coat, just passed the back of his knees.

When Nero didn't answer, Dante stepped forward, resting his hand again on the younger man's shoulder. "Hey, kid…what's wrong? Look, if this is about continuing with your training, don't sweat it. Hell, if you want to go another round, I'm more than hap—"

"It's not that." Nero interjected, glancing up at Dante, his eyes clouding with uncertainty. "Though I really could use more practice." He tacked on as an afterthought, frowning.

Dante cocked his head. "Then what is it?"

Nero looked as though he was about to reply, his mouth opening, only to close again.

"Come on, kid; you can tell me." Dante coaxed, nudging his shoulder with his fist. Nero shrugged him off, looking more and more like he regretted saying anything.

"Kid…"

Silence.

"Nero."

This brought the younger man's head up with a snap, his eyes widening in mild surprise. Dante very rarely ever called him by name, only doing so when the situation necessitated it. It wasn't so different for him; Nero almost never called Dante by name, either. It seemed to be an unspoken agreement between the two white-haired devil hunters, allowing them to easily understand one another's subtleties.

Dante continued to look at the youth, the elder hunter settling into a comfortable stance with his arms folded over his chest.

Finally, Nero heaved a sigh. Shouldering Red Queen, he averted his gaze. "It's just…how long is it going to take before I get _this_ under control?" He thrust his right arm forward, a look of mild irritation on his face.

"I thought after all that 'Savior' business, you'd gotten used to having that arm?" Dante asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"Well, yeah…I did." Nero floundered. "Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful that I have this thing; without it, I probably wouldn't have come as far as I have…"

Dante said nothing, merely deciding to let the younger man vent.

Letting out an agitated sigh, Nero continued. "But, that's part of the problem, isn't it? If I didn't have this arm, I'd probably be dead by now."

Dante shook his head at this, his eyes locking with those of the younger man.

"I don't think that's true, kid. You're still part demon; if your power didn't manifest in the form of that arm, it would have come about in other ways."

Nero ran his fingers through his hair, and slumped against one of the many trees surrounding them. Sliding down the trunk into a sitting position, Nero straightened one of his legs in front of him while tucking the other close to his body. He let out another sigh, his eyes lowering to avoid Dante's gaze.

"How can you be so sure?" He said after a moment, peering up at the half devil through his bangs.

"Kid, you have the same blood running through your veins as my old man. On top of that, you've never used your power to gain supremacy over others. Because of that," Dante explained, sitting down next to the younger hunter, "you have more power than most full-blooded demons; most of them would seize control over the entire world, if given the chance."

Dante's eyes discreetly flicked in Nero's direction; from beneath thick lashes, he caught the faintest of smiles on the youth's lips.

Inhaling deeply, the half devil let his eyes wander over the vast forestry around them. Though he and the younger man came out here often to spar-every time Nero visited, in fact-Dante seldom took the time to drink the scenery in. Shafts of sunlight pierced the canopy of leaves overhead, the trees looking as though they'd been set ablaze with the fiery reds and yellows of autumn. Closing his eyes, he could faintly hear the gurgling of a nearby creek, the sound somewhat soothing.

"So, how long do you figure, before I can fully kick your ass?"

Dante slowly opened his eyes, and glanced over at the younger hunter. Nero smirked at him, one corner of his mouth rising higher than the other.

Feeling his own lips twitch, Dante leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees. "At this rate kid, you've got a long wait ahead of you."

"Is that so?" Nero growled; his tone was playful, giving rise to Dante's own mounting amusement.

Giving the younger man his signature canine-toothed smile, Dante slowly got to his feet, casually brushing the dirt from the back of his coat. "Why not try your luck, and find out?"

Nero followed the half devil's lead, slowly rising to his feet, his eyes challenging Dante to make the first move.

_Well, it looks like it's time for round two!_

With that thought, Dante reached over his shoulder, grabbing hold of Rebellion. He noticed that he and Nero moved simultaneously, mirroring one another as they both brought their blades to bear on the other.

"Getting better, kid." The half devil declared with a cunning smile, "Now, we'll just have to see if the student surpasses the master..."

Dante looked on in wry amusement, as Nero suddenly struggled to hold his sword steady; the younger man succumbing to hoarse laughter.

"If you beat me right now, it won't count." Nero managed through his chuckles. "It's not a victory, if you only win because I'm too weak from laughing to react."

"Punk…" Dante snorted, easing off his attack until Nero got his mirth under control. Once the youth sobered, the elder hunter flashed him a mischievous grin.

"Alright kid, if you're so tough, show me what you got!"

Nero returned the grin, his eyes shining a brilliant blue. "Let's rock!"

* * *

_Thirty-five minutes later…_

Both devil hunters leaned heavily on their swords for support, with a mixture of laughing and panting. Nero wiped his brow with his normal arm, flicking the sweat off of his hand with a jerk of his wrist.

"'Smatter, kid? Tired already?" Dante chuckled, resisting the urge to wipe his own forehead; he didn't want the youth thinking he'd actually made him work up a sweat, or anything; hopefully he hadn't noticed...

"Look who's talking, old man." Nero scoffed, cocking an eyebrow. "You look about ready for your afternoon nap."

_So much for not noticing…_

The half devil let out a sinister chuckle in reply. "Oh ho, you're going to pay for that…"

Both swords were promptly forgotten, as Dante launched himself at Nero, pulling the youth into a full nelson. Not to be outdone, Nero let out a growl, and leaning forward, threw Dante off of him, the elder hunter flipping over the younger man's head to land flat on his back.

Dante wheezed, a slight chuckle rumbling from his throat despite the wind being knocked out of him. Just as Nero was about to jump on top of him, the half devil rolled off to the side, grinning as the younger man let out a pained groan from slamming his elbow full force into the ground.

"Serves you right." Dante snickered, dodging a swipe from the Devil Bringer just in time.

Both men were laughing fairly hard by the end of their play fighting. Dante pulled Nero into a headlock, and started roughly grinding his knuckles into the youth's head.

"Argh! No!" Nero struggled against the elder hunter's grasp, half laughing despite the pain of the 'noogie'. "C'mon, you old fart…let me go!"

Dante only laughed at this; even though he knew he and Nero were related, it never ceased to amaze him how alike they really were.

"Funny, I didn't hear you say 'please'…" He declared, grabbing hold of the youth's nose. Casting a look at his victim, he snickered as Nero's eyes began to water.

"And you're not about to…" Nero replied, his voice coming out a nasal rasp. With a backward jab of his elbow, he connected with Dante's ribs, causing the elder hunter to double over momentarily.

Before the half devil could recover, Nero grabbed hold of his left arm, and twisted it behind his back, roughly shoving Dante to the ground. He sat down hard on Dante's back, eliciting an 'oof!' of surprise from the elder hunter.

"Well, doesn't this seem familiar…"

Dante only rolled his eyes at this; he could practically _hear_ the smirk in the youth's voice.

"Are you ready to give up, old man? Or do I have to take 'drastic measures'?"

"I dunno, kid." Dante snickered, throwing Nero off in one smooth movement, much to the youth's surprise. As the younger man stumbled to his feet_,_ Dante rushed him, and grabbed both of his arms, pinning them behind his back, both wrists grasped in his one hand.

"Is this 'drastic' enough for you?" He taunted from behind Nero, rapping the knuckles of his free hand on the back of the younger man's head.

"I can't believe I fell for that again," he heard Nero mutter, "Alright, old man. You win this round."

Dante released him, the younger hunter rubbing his sore wrists as he gave Dante a withering look.

"Ha! 'This round'? Try _every _round." Dante scoffed.

"Laugh it up, old timer." Nero shot back, his mouth quirking into a grin. "One day, the tables will be turned, and when that happens, I'll generously accept your surrender."

Dante gave a hearty laugh. "Generously, my foot; you'd make me beg, if given the chance…or you'd at least _try_." He amended, snickering.

"After all of the indignities you've put me through? You're damn right, I would." Nero volleyed back with a laugh of his own.

Both men stood for a long moment, studying one another; Dante wasn't sure when it happened, but the duo had built up more than just a mutual respect. They had built up a camaraderie; one forged from their first interactions with each other, and with each trial they'd faced since. A bond founded in mutual causes, but it was so much more than that. Having lost all of his living relations, Dante was drawn to this mystery relative of his. Whether he was his nephew, a younger half-sibling, or whatever other possible explanation, it didn't matter to the half devil; the kid had grown on him over the past few years, and judging by the look in his eyes, Nero felt the same about him.

He knew that the kid felt every bit as lost and lonely as Dante himself, had once felt. Having very little memories of his own origins, the youth was all too eager to keep contact with his alleged relation, however distantly related they might be.

Sure, they both had other people in their lives, every bit as family to them as having shared blood; but still, it meant a great deal to Dante to have some sort of connection to those he had lost…and if Nero truly was Vergil's illegitimate son, it gave him all the more reason to look out for him, and to be protective of the fiery youth.

After several minutes, Dante gave a soft chuckle, and clapped the younger man on the shoulder.

"Hey, how about we head over to Fredi's for lunch? I don't know about you kid, but I've worked up quite an appetite."

Nero grinned. "Why does that not surprise me?" Striding over to where his and Dante's swords lay, he picked them both up, tossing Rebellion to the older hunter.

Catching it with one hand, Dante placed the sword on his back in a single, fluid motion. Without another word passed between them, the two devil hunters set off, the forest falling into peaceful silence once again.


	24. Chapter 24: Family

**Greetings, everyone. As always, much thanks to all of you whom have reviewed so far, along with those who have added this story to their favourites. Thank you so, so much for your interest in this DMC word-prompt series. This chapter is probably the fluffiest one I've ever written...hopefully it's not gag-worthy, but I felt the need to focus on a touching chapter, and "Family" seems to be it. Along with Dante, the full cast is pretty much here. Feedback is always appreciated, so please R&R. :)**

**Disclaimer:**** Devil May Cry and the characters herein belong to Capcom, not to me (much to my chagrin; I love them!). This fanfiction is non-profit, and purely for entertainment.**

* * *

_**Family**_

Dante stood staring at the building for a long moment, his hands resting on his hips. He frowned uncertainly, and shifted his stance, scratching the whiskers on his jaw as his eyes roved back and forth, trying to make sense of what he was seeing.

_Hmm…_

What was with all the streamers festooning the outside of the office? Leaning close to one of the windows, Dante peered inside, a hand arched over his eyes to keep the sun from disrupting his view. The half devil did a double-take, drawing away from the window only to peer through it again.

Were those balloons tied to every available piece of furniture, and most importantly-why did the _Devil May Cry_ look like it was throwing a children's party?

Letting out a sigh, the devil hunter shook his head, and made his way up the front steps, pausing with his hand on the door handle. He didn't know what was going on, but he was about to find out. Taking a deep breath, he braced himself, and pulled the door open…

* * *

"It's about time!"

Dante blinked several times, slightly bewildered by the sight that met his eyes. As he had seen from outside, the office had dozens of balloons, all in batches, secured to all of the furniture he possessed, along with trailing up the banister leading all the way upstairs.

Even more disconcerting was the fact that everyone was in his office, staring at him expectantly as he entered. They all stood in a half circle, starting with Nero and Kyrie, and ending with Patty, Nina, and Morrison.

Turning his gaze to Lady, he asked. "It's about time for what?" He cocked an eyebrow, unnerved by her unusually cheerful appearance.

"We were wondering when you'd get back." She answered, her eyes drifting to his desk, which was laden with gifts. "Though I suppose it's better that you got back now; ten minutes earlier, and we wouldn't have been ready."

"You might want to back it up a bit, Lady." Nero chuckled, making eye contact with the perplexed half devil. "I don't think your explanation cleared anything up for the old man."

Dante snorted, crossing his arms over his chest with a smirk.

"The _kid_…" he paused, his grin growing as Nero scowled, "is right. What the hell is going on, and why does my office look like a clown threw up all over it?"

His eyes darted to his left, where Patty stood giggling; at least someone appreciated his sense of humour…

"Isn't it obvious?" The thirteen-year-old cleared her throat, her sapphire eyes twinkling. "We're throwing a party for you!"

Dante rubbed a hand over his face, sighing. "I can see that much," he declared, grinning wryly at her, "the question is, why? It's not my birthday, or anything…"

"What, we need a reason to throw you a party?" Trish stated, coming forward to drape a hand on his shoulder. She offered him a beguiling smile, but Dante knew her too well to let it slide.

"Nice try, babe." He winked at her, "But seriously…what's the occasion?"

For some reason, this simple, innocent question was met with silence. Dante cast a glance at each one of them, one eyebrow arching in confusion at their shared looks of embarrassment and hesitation.

He threw his hands up with an exasperated sigh. "What did I do, now?"

Kyrie stepped forward then, blushing as her golden eyes met his. "Well, Patty mentioned that you've been kind of down, lately."

Dante turned his head, staving off a grin as he noticed the teenager's flushed cheeks. Returning his gaze to Kyrie, the auburn-haired woman peered bashfully at him from beneath long lashes, and continued.

"She told us you've been really busy with work lately, and even when you have a moment of relaxation, you seem…well, _distant_."

It was true; Dante had been pretty busy lately, more so than he'd been in a long time. More than anything, he was exhausted, but he had to admit; being as tired as he was affected his morale a great deal. Despite all of this, Patty had made it a point to pop in on him nearly every day, staying even when he acted irritably toward her.

"I'm sorry, Dante…" Patty blurted out, startling the half devil out of his thoughts. "I hope you're not mad. I just thought…well, it's just…"

Morrison came to the flustered girl's aid, cutting in smoothly. "Everyone thought they'd get together, and give you gifts, as a token of their appreciation."

When Dante didn't reply, Nero scoffed. "Come on, old timer. Try to keep up, will ya?" He clapped the elder hunter on the shoulder, letting him know he was only joshing him.

Dante returned the youth's playful mien, a lopsided grin lighting his face. "Then why don't you quit beating around the bush, and tell me what this is all about?"

Nero looked uncomfortable; clearly, he didn't want to be the one to vocalize the purpose of their visit. The youth cast a pleading look at the others, but they all looked as shy about it as he did.

"Oh, for crying out loud…" he muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose with his normal hand. "Okay, it's like this; when Patty told us you seemed depressed or whatever, we figured we'd try to cheer you up…and we agreed that showing our appreciation for how you came into our lives might be a good start."

By the end of his explanation, Nero was crimson, his eyes dropping to the floor as he rubbed the back of his neck in his typical display of embarrassment.

Dante didn't even have the heart to tease the youth, this time. He was too busy being shocked by the information. It must have showed, because Patty started laughing again.

"So, it _is_ possible to render Dante speechless." Lady joked, she and Trish sharing a laugh.

"You don't have to look so stunned," the blonde demoness declared with a wide smile, "is it really so inconceivable that we would do something _nice_ for you?"

Dante shot her his best deadpan look; the half devil was rewarded for his efforts, when the room erupted into laughter.

"Heh…and you guys wonder why I'm so cynical." The half devil let out a snort, his lips quirking into a grin despite his efforts to remain straight-faced.

"Look, the truth is…we all owe you, a lot." Lady looked at him, her expression serious, her eyes of ice and fire staring straight through him. The half devil didn't require an explanation; he knew full well what Lady was saying.

Dante averted his gaze, feeling somewhat uncomfortable. "You guys don't owe me anything."

"That's not true." Nina stepped forward, one hand on her daughter's shoulder, while the other sat at the base of her own throat. Her green eyes were soft, crinkling at the corners as she gave him a genuine smile. "If not for you, I never would have gotten away from the demons constantly chasing me, and I wouldn't have Patty back in my life."

Patty nodded in agreement with her mother, her blue eyes filling with joyful tears. "You came to my rescue so many times, even when I acted like a total ungrateful brat." she smiled up at him, allowing her tears to flow unchecked.

Dante opened his mouth, but realizing he didn't know what to say, closed it again. What _could_ he say, really? He'd never been comfortable with people thanking him; he never expected it, and even had convinced himself he preferred when he didn't receive such heartfelt acknowledgments.

But the truth was, it did him good to know he was appreciated…even still, he couldn't help feeling awkward about it.

Trish squeezed his shoulder, causing him to look at her questioningly. "You know what I'm grateful for." Her expression was soft, a sad smile on her lips.

Dante reached up, and grasped her hand in his own. "I know." He replied, giving her a reassuring smile in return.

Looking around at the rest of them, he let out a sigh. "You're not all about to start crying on me now, are you?"

A nervous titter went around the room, Dante sighing with relief when no one else came forward to express their thanks. He appreciated their gratitude, he really did; but, he didn't need it. He knew how they all felt about him, and besides-he was sparing the others from potentially embarrassing themselves with such outward displays of emotion-_especially_ Nero. If he had been feeling up to his usual mischievous self, he would have mercilessly dragged it out of the youth.

Glancing at the younger man, he wasn't surprised when he received a look of gratitude from him. Clearly, Nero had been thinking along the same lines, and was relieved that the half devil wasn't exploiting the opportunity presented to him.

"So," Morrison broke the silence, taking a long drag from his cigarette, "are you going to open your presents, or not?"

* * *

Dante had to admit, the gifts definitely didn't disappoint; he received a gift receipt from Lady for a full tune-up for his speed bike, along with a coupon to get his car detailed, three brand new records for his jukebox from Nina and Patty, a bottle of his favourite cologne from Trish, a large bonus from Morrison (the half devil saw a party-sized pizza in his near future!), a new pair of leather gloves from Kyrie just like the ones he currently had (for when they wore out), and a hand crafted rifle from Nero, customized specifically for demon hunting.

Once all of the wrapping paper was cleaned up, Dante looked around him, taking in the sight of all assembled. Scratching his chin, he felt his face growing warm, and lowered his eyes.

He cleared his throat, his voice coming out rough despite it. "I…uh…I just wanted to…"

"We know." Lady interrupted him, giving him a playful wink. "You don't have to say it."

"You're not going to start crying on us, are you?" Nero chuckled as he threw the half devil's earlier jest back at him.

Dante gave him a roguish smile in reply, the look promising playful retribution later. For now, though? He was hungry, and wanted to settle onto the couch with an action movie and a fully loaded pizza. Looking around the room, he couldn't imagine sharing the experience with anyone better; they were family, after all…


	25. Chapter 25: Night

**Hello everyone! First of all, many thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far, along with those of you who have added this series to your favourites or are currently following it. I am pleased that you're enjoying this humour and fluff filled ride as much as I am. **

**Originally, I intended to stop at 25 chapters; however, that is no longer in the cards. I have up to chapter 40 planned, so this is going to go on until at least then (heck, it might wind up longer, by then!) **

**Anyway, this chapter focuses on Dante and Trish, in the heat of battle during a pleasant Spring night. I hope it's to your liking, and as always, please feel free to review with any and all of your thoughts. :)**

**Disclaimer:****I do not own Devil May Cry, or the characters. They are the property of Capcom; I am merely borrowing them for entertainment purposes, and I make absolutely no profit off of this.**

* * *

_**Night**_

Dante's eyes swept the area, starting with the statue of his father on horseback erected in the middle of the park, and landing on the rod iron gates that led into the cemetery opposite. His vision was every bit as clear at night as it was during the day; a fact that came in handy, considering how often he had to hunt his quarry under the cover of darkness.

He saw the voluptuous blonde stirring beside him, her finger twitching on the trigger of Ombra, her left-handed pistol. The slightly lighter twin pistol, Luce, sat holstered on her right hip, her right hand extended as it crackled with electrical energy.

The half devil fought back a grin; it seemed Trish was just as starved for battle as he was. And who could blame her? It had been weeks since either of them had seen any _real_ action; they had taken out more than their fair share of lower class demons, and having done so quickly, neither one had quite gotten their fill.

But now, some idiotic, power hungry human had gone out of his way to summon powers beyond his control-again. Not that Dante was complaining, of course; he and Trish needed a good work out. His only concern was that no innocents should fall victim to the devil that was currently on the loose.

_Once we take care of this, I'm going to have to pay a particular someone a visit…_Dante thought to himself, his hand going to the hilt of his most trusted blade, Rebellion. As a general rule, he never killed humans; but, he did teach them some _very_ tough lessons, when required. Pulling the claymore from his back in a fluid motion, he held it in front of him, the pale moonlight gleaming off of the silver blade.

"There." Trish said sharply, taking aim with Ombra. Dante followed her gaze, deep into the wooded area that bordered the cemetery. There was a flash of green, followed by the sound of trees falling, the sharp _crack _of their boughs unmistakable.

"Alright, let's take this bastard out." Dante raced forward, and jumped into the air. Bringing Rebellion down, he made contact with a large, scaly forearm. A deep, gurgling cry came from beneath him, as the blade bit into the demon's flesh. Blood spurted from the wound, and Dante performed a backward flip, narrowly escaping the massive claw of the demon's good arm. He rebounded off of a large tree trunk, and performed a flip off of a low branch, his leather coat billowing around him.

Blue lightning sizzled through the air, striking the deep brown devil full in the face. Landing gracefully on his feet, Dante got a better look at the demon. Its head was disproportionately large compared to its body, covered with many horns and armoured spikes. The snout was long, complete with sharp bottom teeth that overlapped the upper lip. The upper torso was broad, the chest looking as though it was inflated. It tapered at the waist, the lower half of the torso considerably scrawny. The devil hunter shook his head in wonder; how the heck did the demon support its weight on such spindly legs?

He didn't have time to ponder it, however, as the beast's massive claw struck out at him again, its red eyes flashing dangerously as it let out an enraged snarl.

Trish unleashed another lightning attack on it, and peppered it with a spray of bullets as she landed next to Dante. The demon recoiled from the stinging lead, its gaze landing on the blonde she-devil, teeth bared with malice.

"Are you going to stand there all day admiring it, or are you going to do your job?" Trish's blue-green eyes met Dante's, her bright red lips pulling into a coy smile.

The half devil snorted, as he and the demoness jumped off to the side; their quarry released a sonic blast from his gaping mouth, a beam of green light obliterating the cobblestones where they had just been standing.

Dante performed a downward thrust, Rebellion piercing the demon's right shoulder, severing the limb cleanly from the socket. The arm flopped onto the ground, the elongated fingers twitching despite the arm no longer being attached to its host.

The demon let out a bloodcurdling roar, complete with a demonic curse that caused the devil hunter to laugh out loud.

"That's some crude language you've got there!" Wasting no time, he hacked and slashed, thick rivulets of blood spraying every which way, and trickling down his cheek.

The demon made to snap at Dante with its massive jaws, the half devil evading the attack easily as he leapt to the side. Grabbing Ivory from his right hip, he rapidly pulled the trigger, barely noticing the recoil as the night was lit up with gunfire.

Trish landed beside him, wielding both of her pistols now. Infusing them with her demonic energy, she shadowed Dante, her fingers lightning fast on the triggers. The blonde whipped around, dodging the demon's remaining arm; Dante decided to strike at that moment, slashing upward with his blade, relieving the demon of his left arm, the savaged devil letting out another agonized roar.

Giving the creature absolutely no quarter, Trish unloaded another furious spray of bullets, Dante doing the same with Ivory as he secured Rebellion to his back with a flourish. Swivelling on the toe of his boot, he grabbed Ebony from his left hip, his forefinger caressing the trigger.

_Don't want her to get jealous now, after all._ He smirked. To him, his pistols were a fine pair of ladies…and as such, he couldn't favour one over the other. Crossing the black and silver pistols at the wrist, he jumped into the air, the sound of their voices music to his ears as their bullets penetrated multiple points of the demon's body.

With a last blast of Trish's lightning, the demon let out a strangled cry, gurgling as it slumped onto the hard dirt. Blood pooled all around its carcass, the flesh beginning to pucker as it smoldered. Within mere seconds, all that remained was a pile of dust.

"Well, that was disappointing." Dante remarked, twirling both pistols around his index fingers before holstering them.

"Agreed," Trish replied, running a hand through her long blonde hair, "though he certainly was more fun than what we've had for the past three weeks, or so."

"I can't argue with that." Dante ran his tongue along the edge of one of his canine teeth, his nostrils flaring from the heady scent of blood permeating the air. His ice blue eyes deepened to cobalt, his battle lust fading as he took a deep breath. A cool breeze wafted through his hair, ruffling the collar of the black shirt he wore beneath his coat.

The devil hunter looked up at the night sky, his eyes lingering on the fullness of the moon overhead. An iridescent ring of light surrounded the silver orb, reflecting off of the clouds that lazily drifted by. Though the city lights obscured most of them, Dante could still make out several of the stars, his eyes drifting over the constellations of Cassiopeia and Ursa Minor.

Trish stood silently beside him; he knew the she-devil enjoyed the calm of night as much he did, as her eyes became heavy lidded, and she breathed in the scent of spring.

The world was such a different place at night, so much more alive, in some ways, than during the day. Everything seemed sharper, more vivid; Dante's eyes took in details that he otherwise would have overlooked during the day; his senses heightened for every sight, smell, or sound, for the caress of the wind against his flesh.

Inhaling deeply, he turned on his heel. Trish trailed behind him, needing no prompting. The two walked in companionable silence, ignoring the stares of the few people who wandered about at this time of night.

Reaching the double doors of the _Devil May Cry _building, Dante pulled the right door open, ceremoniously gesturing for Trish to enter with his free hand. She smiled at him, brushing his shoulder with the tips of her fingers as she strode passed him.

Grinning, Dante cast one last look at the moon, and with renewed vigor, crossed the threshold, knowing all too well the promise the demoness' light touch held.

_Punishing that idiot human will just have to wait…_


	26. Chapter 26: Weapon

**Hey, I'm back again with another chapter; I confess, this one is a lot longer than previous chapters, but once I had an idea in my head, I had to keep going with it. :) This chapter features a fair number of the weapons from the DMC series. Not all of them make it in, of course, but I figured I'd pay homage to both the standard weapons used by our beloved DMC characters, along with some of the other Devils Arms featured in DMC3 and 4.**

**Of course, the chapter doesn't just talk about the weapons, but you get to read about them in action. Hopefully, this chapter is enjoyable to you, dear readers, and as always, a mixture of humour and fluff is present. Please R&R. Your feedback is much appreciated. :)**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Devil May Cry; it, along with its characters, are the property of Capcom. This fanfiction is non-profit, and purely for entertainment purposes.**

* * *

_**Weapon**_

Dante parked his corvette next to the neat row of shops, pulling the car right up to the curb with smooth precision. Glancing in his rear-view mirror, he watched the two women on speed bikes do the same, the rumbling of their engines quieting as they dismounted.

With a sigh, the half devil opened the car door, and stepped out into the fading sunlight, giving his limbs a needed stretch after the long trip.

"I almost thought I lost you back at the district." He said over his shoulder as he opened the trunk, a sly grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"Please," Lady snorted, coming up behind him with Trish beside her, "better drivers than you have tried."

"Besides, how far did you think you'd get?" Trish added, as both she and the brunette shared a smirk behind the half devil's back. "We _were_ on the same ship; your car was unloaded at the same time as our bikes."

Dante only scoffed in reply, as he rummaged through the trunk, examining each weapon as he tucked it in its appropriate case, or on his person.

"Holy hell, Dante…" A male voice came from behind the group, all three hunters turning in unison to look at the young white-haired man. "What did you do? Bring your entire arsenal?"

Nero grinned at the elder devil hunter, his sword resting on his left shoulder.

"Hey, you called me here, remember." Dante countered, tucking the shotgun Coyote-A in the back of his red coat. "And since you called me here, I assume this job requires more than just my usual weapons. You did say there were a lot of element-based demons skulking about, didn't you?"

"Well, yeah…"

"Then shut up, and be grateful that I'm here at all to save your sorry ass." Dante grinned lopsidedly at the youth, a scimitar in each hand.

Before Nero could make a good-natured jibe back at him, the blue scimitar spoke, causing the younger man to let out a choked gasp.

"He's got a point."

"I believe he was joking, brother." The red scimitar piped up, Nero stumbling backward as his eyes darted nervously between the two weapons.

"What the hell?" He exclaimed, casting an inquisitive look at Dante.

The half devil let out a growl, clacking the jeweled heads of the scimitars together. "Hey, what did I tell you two about talking all those years ago?" Before they could reply, he clacked their heads together again for good measure. "No…talking!" He ground out, looking pointedly between the two blades.

Satisfied when they remained silent, he returned his gaze to the bewildered youth in front of him.

Letting out a soft chuckle, he raised the weapons, allowing Nero to have a better look at them. "Eh, don't mind them, kid. This is Agni," he waved the reddish scimitar forward, "and the blue one is Rudra. They're brothers who were once guardians at the Temen-Ni-Gru; when I defeated them in battle, they swore allegiance to me." He finished this statement with a casual shrug of his shoulders, as if to say, _Hey…what can you do?_

"What the heck is Temen…You know what? Never mind, I don't want to know." Nero waved his right hand dismissively, the Devil Bringer flashing as he cast the scimitars another wary glance.

"So, you don't let them talk…ever?"

"Nope."

"That seems a little harsh..."

"Trust me, if I gave them an inch, they'd take a mile." Dante declared, scowling at the scimitars once again.

"So…how long have you had them for?" Nero asked, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

"A long time."

"How long is a long time?"

"Since I was roughly about your age…" Dante's voice held an edge, his eyes narrowing as Nero stifled a laugh.

The youth regained his composure, feigning a look of wide-eyed innocence. "Wow! That must make you _ancient!_"

Both Trish and Lady burst out laughing, the she-devil and female devil hunter clutching their sides as they doubled over.

"Oh, _laugh it up_, babes." Dante drawled, "Clearly you both have forgotten just how close in age you are to me; I'd reconsider laughing, if I were you. Those wrinkles around your eyes aren't getting any smaller, y'know…"

This had the desired effect, as both women sobered considerably, their eyes narrowed at the half devil. Turning his attention back to Nero before either of them could retort, he crossed his arms over his chest, quirking an eyebrow as the younger man fought to compose himself once again.

"Do you want my help, or not?"

"Okay, okay." Nero smirked, "I was just messin' with you…_old man_."

Dante ran a hand over his face, and hissed between clenched teeth, "I'm _not_ that old!"

"This age business is really getting to you, isn't it?" Nero snickered, securing Red Queen to his back and putting his hands in his coat pockets.

"You've become a real comedian haven't you, kid?" Dante's voice held the promise of painful retribution, his eyes narrowing to dangerous slits.

"Alright, I'm sorry." Nero replied with a chortle, not sounding sorry at all. Clearing his throat, he changed the topic, Dante grudgingly letting the kid's smart remarks slide…for the time being.

"So…I take it then, that some of your weapons are elemental?"

"Give the kid a gold star," Dante jested, grinning smugly as Nero glared at him. "Yes, Agni is a fire elemental, and Rudra is a wind elemental. Together, they create a firestorm."

Securing the scimitars to his hips just behind Ebony and Ivory, the half devil pulled out an edgy, purple guitar.

"Okay…and what's with that?" Nero cocked his head, shifting into a more comfortable stance as he studied the instrument curiously.

Dante placed the guitar in front of him, the fingers of one hand quickly tickling the strings, as the other roved up and down the neck of the guitar, shrill rock music assaulting Nero's ears, Lady and Trish clapping their hands over their own in displeasure.

"This," Dante twirled the guitar in the air, the instrument flipping open to reveal an elegant scythe, "is Nevan. She was a lightning witch, and like Agni and Rudra, she transformed into a Devil's Arm for me, once I defeated her in battle."

Nero shook his head in bemusement. "Man, how many 'demons-turned-devil-arms' do you have, exactly?"

"A few, but I only brought one other with me." Dante pulled out a triple nunchaku, the ends resembling femur bones, glazed with a thick coating of ice. "This came from a three-headed dog named Cerberus; he was another guardian."

"And let me guess…once you proved your worth, he surrendered his power to you?" Nero stated dryly, the right side of his mouth turning up into a grin.

"Exactly." Dante replied, clipping the nunchaku to the inside of left jacket pocket. He turned back to the trunk, pulling out a few more Devil Arms that Nero was familiar with.

Lucifer, which when secured to the back, created a supply of red energy daggers; Pandora, a light-filled brief case that transformed into six-hundred and sixty-six different weapons; and Gilgamesh, a powerful close-quarters combat weapon that took the form of greaves, gauntlets, back armour, and a protective face mask.

"Don't you think Pandora alone would have been more than enough?" Nero inquired, as the elder hunter passed the merchandise off to him.

"You're probably right, kid." Dante declared, securing Rebellion to his back. "But, I didn't want to take any chances. Besides, maybe if you're good, I'll let you play with some of my weapons."

The half devil snickered, Nero only glowering at him as his finger absently stroked the trigger of his revolver, Blue Rose.

"Hey Trish, you have Alastor with you, right?" Dante turned to the demoness, smiling as she grabbed the lightning sword from the back of her bike and handed it to him. "Oh, good; well, I think it's safe to say we're all set."

"Gee, you think?"

Dante chuckled to himself at Nero's muttering, and turned to look back at the younger man.

"Alright kid, lead the way. It's time to kick some devil ass."

* * *

_Approximately one hour later…_

Nero led the other three devil hunters deep into the mines, stopping short when they approached a split junction. Holding his right arm aloft, he swept it from left to right, letting out a satisfied grunt when it pulsed bright blue.

"This way…" he cautiously made his way forward, pulling the hammer back on Blue Rose as the four of them rounded the corner.

Dante's gaze swept over the cavernous walls, drifting over the yellow lanterns that dotted them every few feet or so, occasionally gleaming off of pyrite fragments imbedded deep in the rock ceiling above them.

Making their way around two overturned carts, they came to a halt, Nero holding them back with one arm. Dante made his way forward, crouching down as he peered over the younger man's shoulder, instantly recognizing the slightly more spacious processing area of the mine.

"Why are there so many of them gathered down here?" Lady whispered from beside Dante's left shoulder, her mismatched eyes widening in surprise.

"That is strange," Trish mused next to her, "those Frosts were created by Mundus, himself. They shouldn't want to be anywhere _near_ those Basilisks."

Basilisk of course, was a misnomer; the fire hounds had been created by Agnus, the lead alchemist of the Order of the Sword-before his untimely demise, owed to a precise shot from Dante, Ivory in hand.

Dante looked further into the cavern, a wicked grin lighting his face as he watched a Blitz attacking a group of Scarecrows. The lightning beast lacked eyesight, and tended to attack everything it sensed around it. The Scarecrows scattered, many of them meeting a gruesome death as the devil hunters stood and watched. A pack of Assaults shrieked and roared from behind the Blitz, shooting the electrified demon with the barbs on their tails in warning.

"Maybe if we wait long enough, they'll just kill each other…" Dante suggested in a hopeful tone.

The others glared at him, Trish shaking her head slowly in disapproval.

"Oh, alright…" Dante pulled Pandora out, tracing his fingers along the edge of the suitcase. With a _click_, it opened up, transforming into a throwing blade before their eyes. "It's going to be a tight fit, fighting down here…don't come out until I give you the signal." He ordered.

With that, Dante rushed into the fray, throwing the blade with vigor. It whizzed around the open area of the mine, slicing into several of the demons before returning to his gloved hand, though none of them dropped, much to his disappointment.

Every demonic eye in the cavern was on him, a mixture of growls and roars echoing down the tunnels as they approached their prey.

Not wasting another second, Dante ran his finger along the bottom of the blade, Pandora transforming once again, support rings framing the devil hunter's back as the weapon turned into a mobile missile battery.

Taking hold of the hand triggers that appeared before both of his hands, he placed his feet on the pedals, bracing his back against the framework as he took a steadying breath. With a smile, he pressed his thumbs down on the triggers simultaneously, four missiles launching from Pandora, colliding with several of the demons.

The explosion rattled the tunnels, causing small rock shards to rain down from the ceiling.

"You might want to rethink using that much firepower!" He heard Lady shout, the red-clad warrior stifling a chuckle as he heard Nero cursing in the background.

Transforming the multi-purpose Devil's Arm again, he grabbed hold of the Gatling gun that appeared, kneeling beside it and unleashing a torrent of bullets on the approaching demon horde.

Before he had time to react, the Blitz appeared beside him, its electrical discharge momentarily stunning him as it sent him skidding across the ground, Pandora knocked from his hand and resuming the form of a brief case, once again.

"Okay…now would be a good time, guys!" He grunted, grabbing Ebony from his left hip, his finger squeezing the trigger quickly, over and over.

Without missing a beat, Nero jumped into the fray, firing a charged shot from his double-barreled revolver as he simultaneously snatched a Scarecrow with his Devil Bringer. Holding the weak demon in front of him as a shield, he ran to the elder devil hunter's aid, rapidly firing at the Blitz with Blue Rose.

The lightning demon backed off with a snarl, clearly not impressed with the stinging bullets piercing its skeletal armour.

Nero tossed the Scarecrow at the electrical beast, the lesser demon letting out an eerie cackle as it died, vanishing in a puff of black smoke.

Dante jumped to his feet, giving Nero a grateful nod as he grabbed Rebellion from over his shoulder. Charging forward, he swept the blade horizontally from left to right, Nero mirroring him with Red Queen, as they took out the remaining Scarecrows. Catching sight of Pandora, the half devil lunged toward it, wedging the toe of his boot beneath it, and kicked it upward, catching it in his outstretched hand with skilled grace.

Nero let out a yelp, drawing Dante's attention as the kid was knocked over backwards by a flaming skull. Patting the fire out on his coat, the youth bared his teeth at the Basilisk responsible, and threw his demonic arm forward, pulling the flaming hound in close. Turning it around, he squeezed its sides hard, forcing it to launch yet another regenerative skull…this time at its fellow Basilisks.

Dante chuckled at this, thoroughly amused at the kid's ingenuity. Grabbing Cerberus from his belt, the elder hunter whirled around, smacking one of the other fire hounds directly in the mouth with the ice nunchaku.

The creature let out a pained whimper, before collapsing on the ground, engulfed in its own flames. With a last thrash of its tail, it disappeared, leaving nothing but a pile of ash behind.

Dante turned his attention back to the Blitz, as it bore down on Trish. Fortunately, the she-devil didn't bother unloading her own lightning on the demon, knowing full well she would only give it more strength.

Putting Cerberus back on his belt, Dante grabbed hold of Agni and Rudra, and whirled the scimitars around, joining them at the handles to form one large, double-sided scimitar.

Twirling the fire and wind weapons over his head, he leapt forward, striking the Blitz with the fire blade.

It whipped its head around, nostrils flaring as it tried to track the devil hunter. Dante strafed to the side, stabbing the demon just below its front leg, blackened blood spurting from the deep wound as the creature shrieked in fury.

Catching sight of Lady as she flipped overhead, Dante grabbed hold of Trish's arm, the pair rolling off to the side as Lady hoisted Kalina-Ann onto her shoulder, blasting the lightning devil with the missile launcher.

"What was that about not using that much firepower?" Dante shouted, as the mine shuddered all around them.

"Hey, I got rid of the Blitz, didn't I?" She shot back, shouldering her favourite weapon as she landed lithely in front of the demoness and half devil.

Looking passed her, Dante reluctantly had to admit that she was right; the demon had exploded in a bright flash of red light, dried chunks of bone flying every which way.

Jumping to his feet, Dante pulled Coyote-A from behind him, levelling the shotgun on two Assaults as they bore down on Lady from behind. Pulling the trigger, he hit both of his targets right between the eyes, the creatures recoiling with pained howls.

Lady looked back at them, her gaze returning to Dante. The half devil smirked at her, blowing the smoke from the shotgun's barrel.

"If you don't brag, I won't either." Lady declared, narrowing her blue and red eyes at him.

"Fair enough, Lady." Dante replied, ducking down as Trish released a surge of electrical energy over his right shoulder, hitting a Frost full in the chest.

The elite demon encased itself in a large block of ice, attempting to regenerate its power.

"Oh, no you don't!" Dante growled, rushing forward with Alastor in hand, the electrical broadsword smashing through the ice crystals as he used a downward stroke. The Frost crumpled to the ground, letting out a savage hiss as it attempted to get to its feet. Dante plunged the blade downward, piercing the ice demon's chest, the sword's electrical current finishing the job as it coursed through the dying creature's body.

Satisfied with his work, the red-clad half devil looked around, his gaze coming to stop on Nero, as the younger man unleashed a savage, fiery attack with Red Queen, performing three brutal upward strokes with the modified durandal.

As the last of the Assaults shrieked in their death throes, Dante cast another sharp look around, breathing a sigh of relief when he realized the youth had finished off the last of them.

Nero strode forward slowly, letting out a groan as he rotated his right shoulder, a pained grimace on his face.

"Hey, you alright, kid?" Dante asked, eyeing the young man curiously.

"Yeah, I think I just knocked my shoulder out of alignment, that's all."

Trish came forward, resting Luce over her right shoulder. "Let's head back up to the surface," she suggested, "then we can take a look at your shoulder."

"It's not that big of a deal, really." Nero protested, a slight blush creeping into his cheeks.

"Still, let me take a look at it, just to be sure." Trish offered, giving the youth an encouraging smile.

"Take a tip from your elders, kid." Dante grinned, "Never argue with a woman, least of all when it's one of these two. It's doomed to fail, right from the start."

Turning on his heel before either Lady or Trish could retort, Dante took the lead, all too eager to get back out into the fresh, open air.

The half devil could hear Nero chuckling behind him, amidst the conspiratorial muttering of his female allies.

Shaking his head in wry amusement, Dante snorted. "Shut up, kid." He called back, not even bothering to break stride.

The youth only seemed to laugh harder at this.

"You really have a way with women, don't you old man?"

_When this is all done, it looks like I'm going to have to teach him another lesson…_

* * *

Much to the four devil hunters' displeasure, reaching the surface didn't mean their job was over. Upon reaching Fortuna's gates, their ears were met with the frantic screams of the town's people.

"Shit!" Nero swore, his demonic arm flashing brightly in anger. "I have to find Kyrie, make sure she's alright…"

"Whoa, slow down, kid." Dante grabbed him by the shoulder, the youth glaring back at him impatiently. "I'll go with you."

Nero went from glowering at the elder hunter, to casting him an appreciative-though still somewhat impatient-look of gratitude.

"Trish, Lady…will you be alright taking care of things here?" Dante asked, grabbing Rebellion's hilt, and pulling the claymore from his back.

"Don't worry about us," Lady smirked, pulling out her submachine gun and pistol, "we've got this!"

Knowing that time was of the essence, Dante turned to Nero, all trace of humour gone as he stared at the youth, utmost seriousness in his deadly blue eyes. "Where was Kyrie before you came to meet us?"

"She was back at our apartment." Nero replied, shooting a scarecrow in the head without even looking at it.

Without another word, the two men dashed off, heading toward the residential district while their female cohorts set to work on protecting the people within the city's gate.

* * *

As they ran down the main strip, Dante's stomach rumbled, the half devil catching the scent of grilling meat as he and Nero ran passed the restaurant.

_Not now!_ He mentally chided his stomach, as his eyes came to rest on three Mega Scarecrows blocking their path. Just like that, all thought of food and hunger left his mind, the devil hunter bringing forth Nevan from the left side of his back.

Holding the purple guitar in front of him, he began playing a rapid solo, sparks shooting from the guitar's frets as the sky was momentarily blotted out by the wings of hundreds of bats. The summoned night creatures savagely attacked the Mega Scarecrows, shrieking and biting as they did so.

Twirling Nevan so that the guitar turned into a scythe, Dante rushed forward, slicing into the closest of the bloated, bladed demons.

The creature let out an angry cry, bracing its bladed front claws on the pavement, staring the half devil down.

Knowing what was coming before it happened, Dante leapt into the air, the spinning blades of the demon missing him by a mere hair. Landing on top of a wrecked car, Dante brought forth Lucifer, strapping the weapon to his back while dodging a secondary spinning attack from one of the other Scarecrows.

Quickly grasping a red energy dagger between each one of his fingers, he thrust the blades forward, puncturing two of the demons as he flipped over top of them. Once he hit the pavement, he clapped his hands twice, Lucifer's blades exploding inside of the wounds they had made.

Satisfied when his prey evaporated with only their blades slamming into the ground to mark they'd been there to begin with, Dante turned, watching as Nero fought the remaining Mega Scarecrow. The youth revved the handle of Red Queen, the durandal's blade turning a fiery red. With an upward thrust, the younger devil hunter unleashed a flurry of spinning slashes, flames leaping off of his blade as he tossed his enemy high into the air.

The demon disappeared at the exact same moment that his boots hit the ground, the youth meeting the elder hunter's gaze. He grasped his sore shoulder for a moment, rolling it to work out some of the kinks. Giving the half devil a reassuring grin, he secured his sword to his back, and grabbed hold of his revolver.

Dante nodded at the younger man, knowing full well there wasn't time enough for Nero to tend to his wounds; it would have to wait. The two raced down the tunneled side street, throwing open the large door that stood sentinel to the residential district.

Much to both Dante and Nero's surprise, Kyrie met them as they came through the large door, the auburn-haired woman gasping as she collided with the elder devil hunter.

"Kyrie, you're alright!" Nero exclaimed, his tone a mixture of surprise and relief. He grasped her shoulders, pulling her into a quick embrace.

"Yes, I'm alright." Kyrie's voice came out shaky, her golden eyes darting backward. "I just got out of the apartment when they broke down the door...I…I think there might be a child trapped down there! Half of the building has been destroyed…" She let out a pained sob, her eyes filling with tears, her face pale, stricken with guilt.

Dante clapped the younger man on the shoulder, giving him a quick nod before he ran down the alley toward the apartments. Coming to a halt, he heard a child crying from deep within the building's rubble, the cries giving way to frantic screaming.

Quickly equipping Gilgamesh, Dante sent several savage roundhouse kicks to the pile of rubble, finishing with a solid punch that broke the heavier debris away. Backing off, he caught sight of the little girl that had been crying; her large brown eyes pleading as she stared up at him through the narrow crevice. The girl's head turned and she let out a shriek, clearly afraid of whatever was coming up behind her.

Grabbing hold of the large slab overtop of the girl with one hand, he lifted it up with a groan, and grasped the small girl's arm with his other hand, quickly pulling her out just as a Mephisto lashed out with its scythed tail. Cradling her against his chest, Dante pulled out Coyote-A, firing as quickly as the shotgun's reload time allowed him to, the half devil quickly backing up all the while as the girl sobbed into his chest.

When the wraith-like demon finally met its end, Dante put his weapons away, rubbing a hand soothingly on the terrified child's back.

"It's okay, I've got you." He murmured, hugging the little girl close. She couldn't have been more than five or six, her long brown pigtails bobbing as she sobbed quietly into his shirt. Noticing she was shivering, he pulled his coat around her, waiting until her cries turned into hiccups.

"Was there anyone else in the building with you?" He spoke gently to her, as to not frighten the already traumatized child further.

"Yes…m-my mommy…but she….she's…" The little girl broke down again, her green eyes filling with tears before she buried her face in his chest again.

Dante felt a lump in his throat; he could relate all too well with the child's pain. "Where's your father? Do you have any other family around here?"

He was momentarily startled, as Kyrie and Nero came up behind him, the youth clapping a hand on his shoulder.

"I know her." Kyrie said softly, "Her father was killed during the Savior incident." Her eyes drooped with sadness, as she gently attempted to relieve the half devil of his burden. The little girl only clung tighter to Dante, Kyrie smiling sadly at him when he gave her an inquisitive look.

Realizing he didn't mind the child in his arms so much, the red-clad half devil gave a slight shrug, grinning sheepishly when his eyes met Nero's. Ordinarily, the youth would have made some smart-assed comment about the elder hunter's impact on children, but given the gravity of the situation, Nero remained silent, his own eyes unfocused as though he was trying to remember something important. Dante could only conclude that the youth still couldn't recall his own childhood, and how it had set him on the path he followed today.

"She has an older sister on the other side of town, though." Kyrie explained, bringing Dante out of his introspection as she rubbed the child's shoulder comfortingly. "When she's calmed down, I'll take her to her."

"Do you know if any other residents were in this building at the time of the attack?" Dante asked, gesturing to the half demolished apartment.

"No, everyone else took off down toward the pier." Kyrie confirmed. Her eyes lingered on the child a moment longer, a solitary tear rolling down her cheek.

"Well, we'd better head back," Dante said after a moment, adjusting his hold on the little girl, "there's no telling how much of the city Trish and Lady have torn up by now."

* * *

Once they reached the gate, Dante's jaw dropped; the gate had been blasted clean off, no doubt thanks to Lady with Kalina-Ann. Holding the little girl tightly against his chest with one arm, the half devil pulled Ivory from his right hip, and cast a sharp look through the gate.

Trish had Luce and Ombra out, the light and dark pistols coming up to meet him at the same time that he brought Ivory up.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Trish lowered her weapons, Dante doing the same. The she-devil looked at the little girl in his arms, a faint smile on her lips. When her blue-green eyes met his, the smile faded, her expression becoming sad.

"Does she have any…?"

"No…" Dante replied softly, "She lost her father a few years ago during the incident…and her mother just today. Kyrie says she has an older sister here, somewhere." He looked around, frowning.

"We brought the people into the Opera House." Trish explained. "With all the demons around, we couldn't evacuate them through the gate."

Lady came forward then, wiping a hand across her brow, a pistol still in hand. "Well, that's the last of them." She declared, panting. Upon seeing Dante with a little girl in his arms, she did a double-take. Seeing the grave expression on his face, she held back her usual wisecracks.

The little girl stirred in his arms then, casting a fearful glance around her. Her grip loosened, though her hands still rested on either side of the devil hunter's neck, her green eyes still red and puffy from her earlier tears.

Kyrie came forward, extending her arms invitingly to the small girl. "Tawny, your sister should be in the Opera house, okay? Why don't you come with me, and we'll find her together?"

The little girl named Tawny looked back and forth between the gentle, compassionate Kyrie, and the rugged, powerful man holding her. It was clear that she felt safe in his arms, but now that the danger had passed, she wanted to be with family. Giving Dante one last look of longing, the small girl managed a smile. With a quick motion, she kissed him on the cheek, and extended her arms to Kyrie, the red-haired maiden taking her in her arms, directing a small smile at Dante's dumbstruck expression.

As Kyrie walked up the path leading to the Opera house with Trish in tow, Dante became acutely aware that he was blushing, his face warming as Nero snickered behind him. Jabbing an elbow backward, he produced a grunt of pain from the youth as he connected with his ribs.

Lady stood next to Dante, a mixture of amusement and tenderness lighting her heterochromatic eyes. The half devil shook his head, his mouth twisting into a wry smile. As tough as she was, Lady still had a soft spot when it came to kids.

_Women…_ Dante thought to himself, a quiet chuckle rumbling through his chest.

Kyrie and Trish returned then, the town's people warily following them down the cobblestoned path. Dante caught sight of Tawny, the little girl waving at him shyly from the secure arms of her elder, fair-haired sister. The woman's green eyes met his, and she gave him a small smile of thanks, despite the tears in her eyes after having learned of her mother's unfortunate fate.

Nero broke the silence then, bringing Dante's attention to him as he scratched his neck, his gaze averted. "You did a good job with…well, you know…" He floundered, his face reddening. "I uh…I just wanted to thank you, all of you…for coming out to help me."

Trish placed a hand gently on the youth's shoulder, drawing away quickly at his pained groan.

"I'm sorry, Nero." She said, placing her finger tips more carefully on his wounded shoulder. "I'd forgotten."

Without another word, she leant him some of her healing power, a slight greenish glow emanating from where her hand met his shoulder.

"Thanks." He smiled up at her, his gaze returning to Dante. "I meant what I said…if you hadn't come, that little girl might not have been saved in time…I couldn't have protected everyone on my own…I owe you one."

"You owe me several," Dante laughed, clapping a hand on the younger man's shoulder good-naturedly, "but hey, who's counting?"

* * *

_Later that evening…_

"Are you sure you can't stay the night?" Kyrie clasped her hands together, casting the devil hunters a hopeful gaze as Trish and Lady mounted their speed bikes.

Dante packed the last of the weapons into the trunk of his car, grinning appreciatively at Kyrie as he ran a hand through his hair. "That's really kind of you, but we have to get down to the pier before the cruise ship leaves."

"You really don't have to go," Nero stepped forward, "after all you did for us today, you're more than welcome to spend the night here. The ship will return first thing in the morning...you can always go, then…"

Dante stroked his chin, his other hand resting on his hip. Meeting the imploring expressions of Kyrie and Nero, he surrendered with a sigh. Looking over at Trish and Lady, both women nodded in agreement, getting off of their bikes in unison, giggling at the long-suffering look he gave them.

"Alright, you win." He grinned. "Hey kid, I guess you'll get a chance to play with the weapons, after all."


	27. Chapter 27: Priority

**Hello, readers! I wanted to thank those of you who have continued to review so far, along with those of you who have added this story to your favourites. I hope this word-prompt series continues to amuse you, and as always, I encourage your feedback. This chapter is solely about Dante being on a mission, and doesn't feature the other characters. Rest assured though, there will still be plenty more chapters involving the other beloved characters of Devil May Cry. Please R&R. :)**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own ****Devil May Cry; it, along with its characters, are the property of Capcom. This is a non-profit fanfiction, made purely for entertainment.**

* * *

_**Priority**_

Dante studied the picture for a long moment, letting the image burn itself into his retinas until he memorized the teenaged girl's face perfectly. Long, curly black hair, dark, thick eyelashes that brought out the intensity of her aquamarine eyes, light freckling over her moderately sized nose, a slight dimple in her left cheek as she smiled, and coloured braces on her extraordinarily white teeth.

"I see…so your daughter went missing last night?" He looked up at the man seated on the opposite side of his desk, taking note of the same, though a lot shorter, dark curly hair. Flecks of grey could be seen throughout the man's hairline, his neatly trimmed beard a good deal more grey than black.

"Yes," the man answered, wringing his hands together as he stared back at the devil hunter with fearful green eyes, "my daughter has always been a responsible young woman. When she's going to be late in getting home, she always calls to let my wife and I know. She gets excellent grades-she's even the top of her class! I just can't imagine what…what could have happened to…"

At this, the man broke down, his head resting in his hands as he fought to compose himself. Dante averted his gaze, doing his best to ignore the man's silent sobbing, the man's quaking shoulders finally slowing after several minutes.

"Tell me more about what happened last night." Dante urged, forcing his expression to remain impassive.

"It was around five-thirty; Melissa had called about twenty minutes beforehand, saying she'd be home on time to help my wife prepare dinner. She just had to make a stop at the local bookstore to pick up a novel she'd ordered," The man explained, unconsciously wiping a tear from his cheek, "We waited, but she never made it home. My wife stayed up all night, crying by the window…"

The man took a long gulp from the glass of water in front of him, and continued. "Then, at about three this morning, the phone rang; the call was coming from Melissa's cell phone, but it wasn't her on the other end…all we could hear were these terrible sounds. Shrieking, roaring…and…we could hear her…crying…"

"Strange sounds…" Dante murmured to himself, his eyes widening slightly with interest.

"Please," the man cast the devil hunter a desperate look, "please find my daughter…bring her home safe. I'll pay you everything I have!"

"I have no interest in bleeding you dry." Dante waved a hand dismissively, the half devil getting to his feet, and throwing his red leather trench coat on over his black long-sleeved shirt. "You can pay me _after_ I find your daughter, Mr. Saunders."

Turning to the wall behind his desk, the half devil grabbed hold of Rebellion from its placard, and secured the large sword onto his back, following up with Ebony and Ivory at their respective spots on his hips.

The slightly paunchy middle-aged man gave him a bewildered look, before finally extending his hand in gratitude. "Thank you."

He shook Dante's hand vigorously, the devil hunter feeling somewhat uncomfortable at the sheer sincerity of the gesture.

"Don't thank me just yet…" He declared. Taking several long strides, he pushed open the right door to the _Devil May Cry_ office, and held it open for the distraught man. "I have to find her, first."

* * *

Dante combed the streets for well over an hour, before the red-clad half devil finally got his first break; as he turned down a quiet side street, the hairs along the back of his neck stood on end, alerting him to danger nearby.

Diving to the ground, the devil hunter rolled into a crouch, a large ball of fire whizzing passed his left ear, the scent of slightly singed hair assaulting his nostrils as the ball of flames slammed into the pavement in front of him, going out in a wisp of smoke.

Grabbing hold of the locks on the left side of his head, he cast them a cursory glance. _It could've been worse…_ He mused, noticing the slightly blackened tips of his silvery-white hair.

Without wasting another second, he jumped to his feet, and grabbed Ebony and Ivory at the same time, levelling the pistols as he swivelled on the heel of his boots to meet his opponent, the black and silver pistols crossed at his wrists.

A large bipedal fire demon stood before him; standing at least three feet taller than Dante was, the devil looking somewhat humanoid. Four small horns adorned its head, an elongated ear on either side. The only other things that kept it from being mistaken for a human were the long tail that swept across the ground, and the fire that engulfed its entire body.

The creature cast Dante a predatory smile, red eyes blazing as it studied him. "So, you're the legendary son of Sparda." It rasped in a high, gravelly voice.

Dante huffed in agitation, his breath causing his bangs to flutter across his forehead. "You guys need new material." He sneered, narrowing his cool blue eyes at the flaming devil. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about a missing girl now, would you?"

The demon grinned wider, its long tail swishing back and forth across the pavement, embers flicking off of the tip. "I might…" it replied coyly, shifting closer to the devil hunter. "What's the information to you?"

"How about your life?" Dante growled, shifting into a defensive stance as the demon approached him. "Tell me what I want to know, and I might let you live."

The fire devil threw its head back and laughed; a shrill, unpleasant sound that assaulted the devil hunter's ears.

"I'll take that as a 'no', then…" With that, Dante squeezed both triggers, charging the bullets with a little extra power as he open fired. He ran full tilt, making sure to give the demon a wide berth as he continued his attack.

Just as he expected, the demon possessed incredible speed, using its flames to aim itself like a projectile at the half devil.

Dante rolled off to the side, and bounded into the air as the demon launched another fireball attack at him, the half devil holstering Ivory as he grabbed Rebellion from over his shoulder. Bringing the sword forward, he deflected the series of fireballs that the demon threw at him, blasting the last one with a shot from Ebony.

Landing on the balls of his feet, Dante whirled around, lashing out at the demon with his leg. The heel of his boot connected with the demon's chest, sending it skidding across the pavement in a fiery blaze.

Patting the flames out on his leather boot, the half devil rushed forward, taking aim with Ebony, the barrel level with the fire demon's forehead.

"Now, about that missing girl…"

* * *

_Twenty-four minutes later…_

Dante peered around the edge of the building, his eyes narrowing when they came to rest on three large demons within the warehouse, their backs to him as they roared at one another in demonic.

It looked like the fire demons information had been good, after all; the three demons were all of the same class, and seemed to be preparing for a ritual, judging by the markings beneath their clawed feet.

A ritual circle had been drawn with blood, a small wooden altar standing in the centre of it.

_They had best hope that isn't the girl's blood…_ Dante seethed, gritting his teeth as he held Ivory up, Rebellion resting in his left hand.

Deciding that now was the best time to launch his attack, the half devil rushed into the warehouse, unloading a salvo from his pistol as he dodged an energy blast from the demon closest to him. With a forward thrust, he impaled the devil, nearly burying Rebellion to the hilt in the large boar-like creature's stomach.

The demon let out a bloodcurdling scream of agony, the sound becoming gurgles as its lungs filled with blood. Firing a single shot into its forehead, Dante ripped his sword free, jumping to the side as one of the demon's cohorts lurched forward, his outstretched claw grazing the devil hunter's side, tearing a small strip from his coat.

Seeing the damage to his favourite coat, Dante let out an enraged snarl, and began rapidly pulling the trigger, the second demon's head exploding in a gruesome spray of brain matter.

The red-clad half devil looked over his shoulder, a wicked smile spreading across his face as he took in the terrified visage of the remaining demon.

"Unless you want to end up like your friends here," Dante gestured to the limbs scattered on the warehouse floor with the tip of his sword, "then I suggest you tell me _exactly_ what I want to know."

He slowly approached the bulky devil, the creature's yellow eyes widening fearfully. "What is it that you want to know?" It rumbled warily, taking a step back.

Dante produced the picture of the missing girl from his pocket, holding it in front of him for the demon to see. "I'm looking for this girl," he explained, "tell me where she's being kept, and _then_ we can discuss your continued existence. Are we clear?" His tone was cool, his blue eyes darkening to a deeper shade as he held Ivory out in front of him.

"She's with the Master." the demon blurted out, saliva dripping from the tusks that protruded from his bottom jaw.

"I see," The devil hunter replied, "And just where is your master?"

"The loading dock, Pier 10-A," The devil trembled, its eyes fixated on the silver pistol a mere foot from its face, "Will you let me go, now?"

Dante stared at the demon hard for a moment, his gaze unblinking. Seeing no trace of deception, he lowered his gun, and spun on his heel, the clacking of his boots echoing on the cement. After several paces, he heard the distinctive slap of bare claws running up behind him. Without so much as a backward glance, he rested Ivory over his right shoulder, and pulled the trigger.

Satisfied as he heard its dying gasps, the half devil put his weapons away. Running as fast as he could with the help of his own demonic abilities, he knew that it was only a matter of time before the devil in power utilized the adolescent girl for his ritual.

* * *

A terrified scream alerted Dante to the girl's exact whereabouts, the half devil skidding across the slick dock as he rounded a corner. Sweeping his gaze over the area, he grabbed hold of Rebellion, and thrust the sword forward, instantly killing the lower class demon standing directly in front of him. Leaping over the carcass before it hit the deck, he swung up and over the side of a yacht, where he had heard Melissa's screams coming from.

Landing on the edge of the boat, his eyes rested on three more lower class demons, all black and scaly like the one he'd just killed seconds ago. Jumping up, he somersaulted, and sent a savage kick to the group, instigating a domino effect as his foot connected with the ribs of the leader. Performing a horizontal slash with Rebellion, he raced passed the devils, not even bothering to see if he'd successfully killed all of them, or not. Right now was not the time for his usual killing perfectionism; right now, a terrified girl was below deck, and he'd be damned if he got this close, just to let her die, now.

Knowing caution would be a waste of time since the shrieks of the lesser demons had undoubtedly notified their master, Dante broke down the cabin door, and jumped from the top of the stairs to land nimbly at the bottom.

If not for his enhanced eyesight, the half devil wouldn't have been able to see his own hand in front of his face, much less the girl standing there, her wrists bound together in front of her. Her mouth was gagged, the girl letting out frightened moans, her eyes wide as they darted back and forth; she was clearly trying to catch a glimpse of whoever or whatever had entered the cabin.

Making his way over to the light switch a few feet to the girl's right, Dante flicked it on, and quickly removed the gag from her mouth.

"Look out!" The girl cried. Her eyes went wide, as she stared at something over his left shoulder. The half devil had been prepared for this though, and brought Ebony and Ivory up at the same time, aiming over both shoulders as he fired.

Turning, he caught sight of the shadowy demon as it disappeared through the wall.

_Damn it…_

"Stay behind me." Dante ordered, casting a quick look at the frightened girl.

Melissa only nodded, her black curls bouncing with the jerky movements of her head.

Dante scanned the cabin, his eyes sweeping back and forth, attempting to detect the most subtle of movements.

"So, the son of the Legendary Dark Knight Sparda, has come to face me." the shadow devil wisped into view, plumes of deep purple and black coalescing at the centre of its being. "When I defeat you, I'll use your blood in the ritual, and become more powerful than the Demon King, himself!"

"Geez, what is it with all of you?" Dante growled through clenched teeth, both guns trained on the vaporous devil.

Without warning, the creature rushed forward, lashing out at the devil hunter with a thin, charcoal coloured claw. In that instant, Dante dropped Ivory, the pistol clattering onto the wooden floorboard as he brought Rebellion forward.

The blade met the demon's claw, slicing the palm open, rancid-smelling green vapours wafting up from the wound. The devil recoiled with a pained hiss, floating away from the half devil, its red eyes flashing dangerously.

"You'll pay for that, son of Sparda!" It spat, rushing forward again, both claws extended.

"Just put it on my tab." Meeting the demon halfway, Dante swept Rebellion in an upward stroke, splitting the devil in half, both pieces of its solid core breaking as they hit the floor.

* * *

It had been two weeks, since Dante had saved the teenaged girl named Melissa, from the blood rite she'd been intended for. Two weeks, since he'd awkwardly accepted the small payment from the girl's father-a payment he'd insisted be lowered, since what the man originally intended to give him seemed ludicrous, considering the ease of his mission.

Dante let out a sigh, throwing the letter down on his desk, and propped his feet up, leaning back in his chair with his arms folded behind his head, his eyes closed.

Two weeks of getting non-stop love letters from the teenaged girl, along with 'anonymous' gifts at the door to his office; two weeks of phone calls, always resulting in the same one-sided conversation, before the devil hunter hung up.

_What's the world coming to,_ Dante mused ruefully, _when you can't even save someone's life without them falling in love with you, anymore?_

One thing was for certain; he hoped the girl would stop before any of his usual company came around. Having a teenaged girl practically stalking him was definitely not something he wanted to explain; not when he knew the indignities he'd suffer through for it…


	28. Chapter 28: Torment

**Hello again, readers! As always, thank you for the reviews and for adding this story to your favourites. :) Now, this chapter contains some sexual content, so I advise discretion, for those of you who may not be comfortable with the theme. I had a bit of trouble with this one; not because I didn't know where I wanted to go with it, but because I desperately wanted to achieve a balance; I felt the sexual content was necessary, but I also didn't want it to become too graphic in nature. So hopefully, I managed to pull it off well. As always, I encourage you to R&R. :)**

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own Devil May Cry, or the characters. They are the property of Capcom; this story is non-profit, and purely for entertainment.**

* * *

_**Torment**_

How had he allowed himself to get into this predicament? How was it possible that such a powerful devil hunter-such as himself-had fallen for one of the oldest tricks in the demon book?

Dante didn't dare open his eyes, not yet; whatever drug had been slipped into his drink by the attractive redhead, it was making him _very_ sluggish. He could hardly twitch a finger, let alone struggle against the bonds holding him in his high-backed chair.

Even without opening his eyes, the half devil knew that he had been taken back to the _Devil May Cry_ office; just as he now knew the attractive woman who had offered to buy him a drink was a Succubus. He could hear the slow whirring of the ceiling fan, a soft tune playing far to his left on the jukebox. More importantly, now that she was no longer using her powers to conceal herself for what she really was, he could sense the Succubus standing in front of his desk; and by the cacophony of voices, she had accomplices.

_Great…_ He chided himself, _of all the opponents to take me down, it winds up being a bunch of Succubuses….Succubus? Succubi? Whatever they're called…_

He listened to their high-pitched idle chatter for a moment longer, only catching snippets of what they were saying. Despite being half demon himself, he knew very little of their dialect.

"…_killed Queen Rowena…"_

"_He must be punished…"_

"_What should we inflict on him, sisters?"_

"_Let's just kill him, and be done with it!"_

What little he understood was more than enough, causing the devil hunter to groan internally.

"Silence, all of you," One of them spoke English, her voice sultry, slightly deeper than that of her companions. "We will kill him…in due time. For now, it would seem our prisoner is awake."

The half devil received a sharp slap to his left cheek at this statement; seeing no reason to feign unconsciousness any longer, he opened his eyes, and glared blearily at his captors.

"What didjou do t'me?" He slurred. Struggling, he found he couldn't break the ropes that held his arms behind the back of his chair, his muscles still too weak from whatever drug they'd put in his drink. He also noted that both his coat and shirt had been removed, leaving his upper torso bare…vulnerable. Whatever they had planned, something told the half devil he wasn't going to like it…

"You should be less concerned with what we've done, and more concerned with what we're _going_ to do." A Succubus, whom he assumed was the leader, replied. Judging by the voice, it was the same one who had confirmed his consciousness only seconds before.

Scowling at her through his bangs, he took in the tint of her blue skin, long golden hair cascading down her back, her frame tall and lean, though both her hips and breasts were quite bountiful, barely concealed by the thin, white garment that flowed from her shoulders to her knees. She had fiery red eyes, framed with thick lashes, her plump red lips pulled back into a menacing grin, revealing gleaming, pointed teeth.

Surreptitiously glancing around, he noticed that four other demons accompanied her; all of them more or less resembled her, though they were far more petite, their skin-tone a variant of different blues, their hair much darker shades.

"What is it you want with me, exactly?" Dante found his voice worked better this time, as his cognitive faculties began to sharpen. His limbs remained unresponsive, but at least the devil hunter had his wits about him. Though given his current predicament, he wasn't so sure that was a _good_ thing…

"Three fortnights ago, you slew our eldest sister, Queen Rowena." The lead Succubus explained; her voice was nearly a purr as she leaned in close to the devil hunter, her sulfuric, slightly floral scent assaulting his nostrils.

Dante tried to pull away, but realizing the drug was still very much in effect, gave up. Sagging in his bonds, he glared up at her, determined to remain defiant to his last breath, if need be.

"And so you've come to get revenge against me; is that it?" He shot back, sneering. "How original…"

The lesser Succubi all hissed at him, their hands curling into claws in anger at his flippant statement.

The lead Succubus shot them a dangerous look, instantly quieting their outrage. Turning back to Dante, her mouth widened into a sadistic grin as she took slow strides around him, her fingers lightly trailing over his shoulders. The half devil gave an involuntary shudder, mentally cursing as the female devil's smile grew.

Well, that clenched it; from here on out, no matter what they put him through, he wasn't about to give them one more _iota_ of satisfaction.

"You jest, son of Sparda…" She purred in his ear, her long fingers settling over his shoulders, "But when we're through with you, you'll be begging for death."

As if on cue, the rest of the Succubus harem came forward, their hands wandering all over his torso, their lips touching his neck and shoulders teasingly, an electrical-like current coursing through his limbs.

_Shit…shit, shit, shit…_

It took every last ounce of Dante's self-control to not let out a hungry growl. Though it was no secret that he was as hot-blooded as any healthy male-especially more so, given his demonic blood-losing control of his desires was a foreign concept to him. He couldn't tell if the drug was responsible, or if it was because they were Succubi.

_With my luck, it's probably both._ He thought bitterly, biting the inside of his cheek. Not giving them any satisfaction was beginning to look like wishful thinking…

* * *

Minutes seemed like hours, as the Succubi continued their teasing; licking and nibbling his collarbone and ear lobes, fingers running lightly over his bare skin, an unpleasant tingling that made his stomach quiver, causing an unwelcome stirring in his loins.

The leader, whom he learned was called Thesta, trailed a long fingertip down his stubble-covered jaw, before grasping his chin tightly in her hand. Leaning forward, she stole a kiss from him, a slow burn spreading throughout his entire body. He felt his energy being drained, his thoughts becoming clouded and hazy; the sensation was similar to his trial against the lightning witch, Nevan, when she had given him one of her 'love-bites' on his neck.

Thesta pulled away, her hand still gripping his chin, while the other lightly scratched at the inside of his thighs, alternating between them. She never went farther than that, however, knowing full well the level of torment she was bestowing upon him by not touching the one place he craved it most.

Between her ministrations, and those of her four sisters, Dante could feel himself slipping away, the devil hunter far too drained to fight any longer. He clenched his teeth, willing his breathing to slow down. He let out a gasp, as sharp nails dragged down his back, only for those same nails to dig into the hard flesh of his stomach, his abs contracting from the half-painful, half-ticklish sensations. Thesta continued teasing the inside of his thighs as her lips trailed kisses down his jaw, her mouth stopping at his neck, her teeth grazing against his flesh until blood trickled down. She lapped at his neck hungrily, and began nibbling again, drawing a moan from the half devil's lips.

He mentally cursed again, as Thesta let out a sibilant chuckle into his collarbone. He shook his head, willing his body to stop reacting to the harem's devious touch.

"You may as well give up," He growled, his ice blue eyes flashing defiantly, "no matter what you do to me, I'll never give in."

"Ah, but you already have, my rebellious one." Thesta crooned, the Succubus straddling the half devil.

Dante's nostrils flared, as he fought to control his body's response to her provocative movements. Her body was much too close to his, his pulse quickening as her hands delicately trailed down his sides, her barely concealed bosom pressing softly against his own chest. Meanwhile, the harem continued their sensual torment on the rest of his body, going back and forth between deep, painful scratches and bites on his neck and shoulders, to kisses and gentle caresses.

Each touch seemed to sap him more and more of his energy, of his will to fight. Despite this, he still managed to scoff. "Think what you want, _Succubus_." He hissed the word, intending to make it as insulting as possible. "When I get out of this, you've got a world of hurt coming your way, make no mistake."

Thesta tilted her head back, cackling. "You won't even get the chance, half-breed. You will be dead, long before then."

"You might want to rethink that, demon bitch!"

* * *

Dante's eyes opened wide, followed by the corners of his mouth drawing up into a grin of elation. Never in all his life had he been so relieved to see the two furious women standing just inside his office; of course, it didn't hurt that their ire wasn't aimed at him, for once.

Lady had her submachine gun drawn, her red and blue eyes narrowing dangerously at the harem surrounding Dante. Trish stood next to her with a livid expression to match her human friend's, Luce and Ombra both held aloft, as electrical energy arced over the barrel of both pistols.

"I suggest you back the hell away from our friend there." the blonde she-devil said in a low tone, her voice holding the promise of a slow, agonizing death.

"Lady…Trish…" Dante choked, the half devil trembling with exhaustion. "Am I ever glad to see you, babes…I could just _kiss_ you."

Lady smirked at this. "Slow down there, cowboy. We have to save your sorry ass, first." Her expression turned serious, her teeth bared as she slowly made her way forward.

"Take one more step," Thesta hissed at the women, placing her claws against the base of Dante's throat, "and the half-breed dies!"

Trish and Lady exchanged a look, Dante watching them through half closed eyes. Their looks said it all; clearly, this Succubus was ill-informed about just how difficult it was to kill the half devil.

Still, worry flickered across both of their faces, as they took in Dante's haggard appearance.

"Dante, are you alright?" Trish asked, her voice becoming hard as she glared at the harem.

Sweat trickled down the half devil's back, his breath coming fast and shallow. Even though the harem was no longer using sensual torture against him, he still felt as though his life's energy was slipping away.

"I…dunno…" he murmured, "I feel so tired…"

At this, all hell broke loose. It was clear that Lady and Trish were far beyond enraged, seeing their companion in the sorry state he was in.

The last thing Dante saw were the two women rushing forward, a battle cry coming from Lady as they laid into the Succubus harem. With that, he slipped into unconsciousness, everything fading to black.

* * *

Dante awoke with a start, sitting up quickly, beads of sweat cascading down his left temple. Waiting for his vision to adjust, he realized he was lying in his own bed, the half-moon outside casting pale light through his bedroom window, reflecting on the laminate flooring.

_How long have I been out?_ He wondered. The last thing he remembered was Trish and Lady coming to his defense. Judging by the fact that he was in his own bed, he could only assume the she-devil and female devil hunter had succeeded in defeating the Succubus harem.

_Hmm, what a shame; I had a bullet with each one of their names on it…_

Swinging his legs over the edge of his bed, he let out a gasp. Sitting only a few feet away were both of his female partners, their chairs side-by-side, as the blonde and brunette slumped against one another, dozing.

The half devil couldn't help but smile at the sight, before getting to his feet. His limbs still felt a bit weak, but it seemed the effect of the drug, and of the Succubi themselves, was long gone.

Casting a last look at Trish and Lady, the half devil quietly left the room. After everything he'd been through, he was starving; and he was sure, once both women awoke, they'd appreciate a hearty meal, themselves.

_What the hell,_ Dante thought with a grin, throwing his coat on as he walked out the front door, _since they saved my ass this time, I think I'll actually cook something for them, for a change._

With that thought in mind, Dante jumped on his speed bike, and set off for the supermarket, making a mental list of all the ingredients he would need to make his own pizza…


	29. Chapter 29: Drinks

**Hey everybody, sorry that this one took a bit longer than the last few...or so. ^^; I'd like to thank, once again, those of you who have added this story to your favourites, and those who have continued to review. This chapter is a Dante, Lady, and Nero chapter, circulating around a drinking night, and some shenanigans that come with it. Also, you may catch more than just the Captain Morgan reference made toward the end of the second scene...if you've seen a particular meme with DMC4 Dante, you'll know what I'm talking about. ;) Anyway, I hope you enjoy this, and as always, please R&R! :) Your feedback is much needed and wanted.**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Devil May Cry, or the characters; they are the property of Capcom. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment, and is non-profit. Additionally, I do not own Captain Morgan's rum; I just happen to enjoy it, every now and then. ;)**

* * *

_**Drinks**_

"…A drinking competition? You can't be serious…" The brunette dissolved into a fit of giggles, as the white-haired youth next to her fought to compose his own amusement.

Dante frowned at the pair of them, his hands resting on his hips casually. Why on Earth did they find it so damn funny?

"What's wrong with a friendly night of drinking?" He countered, running a hand through his hair, his scowl deepening as Nero lost all control, and sank to his knees, surrendering to silent laughter. From the tears forming in the corner of his eyes and the way he clutched his sides, the half devil could only infer that the youth's mirth came with a price; pain.

_Good, serves him right._ Dante snorted, folding his arms over his chest.

"There's nothing wrong with a friendly night of drinking," Lady snickered, mimicking his stance as she gave the half devil a smug grin, "but what I _heard_ you say is that you wanted to rack up your debt to me."

"You're that confident, are you," Dante declared, "that you'll win? Think about it Lady; you have trouble keeping up with me when it comes to drinking as it is; turn it into an all-night drinking bender, and where exactly do you think you'll wind up?"

"With another suitcase of "I.O.U.'s?" Lady quipped, her heterochromatic eyes flashing in amusement.

Dante scoffed, a wry grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. "More like paying tribute to the porcelain princess for the rest of the night."

"You didn't say that our drinking competition would _only_ be about who could hold their liquor longest," The female devil hunter countered, "And if you believe your victory in that regard is assured, then you must also think it would be an unfair advantage for you."

Dante groaned; why had he opened his big mouth to begin with?

"Get to the point, Lady; what do you have in mind?" The half devil gave Nero a cursory glance, the youth finally rising to his feet and wiping the tears from his eyes.

"I'm saying why not make it interesting?" Lady replied, settling her fists on her hips. "Make a game of it."

"So what, play games like quarters and beer pong? Something like that?" Dante asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Exactly."

Dante's mouth drew into a predatory grin, his eyes alight with mischief. "Fine, I accept!"

"You must be a glutton for punishment," Nero chuckled, azure eyes meeting the elder hunter's ice blue ones. "If we turn this into a full-fledged night of drinking games, you don't stand a chance."

"Oh, is that so?" Dante retorted, ruffling Nero's hair much to the youth's disgust. "And just how much drinking experience do _you_ have, _junior?_ I don't think I've so much as seen a single beer touch your lips, let alone a night's worth."

"None of that matters, when it comes to you." Nero snorted. "Or have you forgotten? You suck at gambling, old man."

"Funny, I seem to remember beating _both_ of you on at least one occasion." Dante's grin widened, as both Lady and Nero seemed to digest this, a flicker of horror crossing the latter's face. It would be remiss for the younger hunter to forget the consequences of that particular wager, considering he'd been forced to dress in drag.

"Heh, not looking so smug now, kid." Dante snickered, "Don't worry; I won't have Patty escort you all over town when you lose…this time."

"Yeah, but that was after a game of poker," Lady interjected before Nero could make his own scathing rejoinder, "a drinking bet is a whole new ball game, Dante."

"Okay, so what are the terms?" The half devil leaned back against his desk, his fingers idly drumming on its polished surface.

"The rules are simple; whoever comes dead last in our little competition is the loser. We'll keep a score board. We'll also factor in who the last man standing is."

"So what are the consequences for this 'dead-last loser'?" Nero spoke up, his eyes narrowing as Dante chuckled softly to himself.

Lady tapped a forefinger against her upper lip for a moment, her eyes glazing over in contemplation. "It'll have to be something _really_ good…"

Dante flashed them his most charming smile, the youth and the brunette cringing slightly; they knew that look all too well…

"I have just the thing…"

* * *

Once the trio had reached an agreement on the consequences of losing, Dante set to work, pulling every conceivable bottle of alcohol he had out of his fridge and cupboards.

"Geez Dante," Nero remarked as the elder hunter handed him a forty of Captain Morgan spiced rum, "what are you trying to do, open your own liquor store?"

The half devil ignored this statement, and set to work on grabbing clean glasses from the cupboard, dropping ice cubes into each one.

Lady came into the kitchenette, carrying two cases of beer in her hands from the storage room. "Hopefully these will be cold enough," she wrinkled her nose, "there's nothing worse than warm beer."

"There's room in the fridge." Dante replied, distracted. He cast a quick glance around the small kitchen. Had he forgotten anything? Satisfied that he hadn't, he gathered up the glasses, motioning to Lady and Nero to follow him out into the main room with the rest of the booze.

"Okay, so what'll we do first?" The half devil rubbed his hands together eagerly, "Should we shoot that game of pool you mentioned, Lady?"

"Sounds like as good a start as any." She replied, filling all three glasses with rum. "I'll take numbers one through five. What will you take?" The female devil hunter turned to Nero, passing him a glass as she did so.

"I guess I'll take six through ten, which leaves eleven through fifteen for Dante." The youth took a sip of the deep amber liquid, savouring the smoothness of the alcohol as he swallowed.

"Alright then," Dante declared, "so whoever sinks all of their balls first, wins. If they accidentally sink a ball that isn't theirs, that person is out, and they have to chug their entire drink."

"So, who goes first?" Nero asked, chalking one of the pool cues.

"We'll do rock, paper, scissors." Dante held out his fist, Lady and Nero mirroring him.

"One, two, three!"

Nero smirked in triumph, as he came up with scissors to both their paper. "Guess I get to go first."

Now Lady and Dante faced off, the latter smirking good-naturedly. "One, two, three!"

The female devil hunter smirked back at him, playfully smashing his 'scissors' with her 'rock' to seal the deal.

"Hmm, it looks like you're dead last…that can't be a good sign." She teased, picking up her own pool cue.

"The night's young." Dante replied, putting his foot up on his high-backed chair while taking a sip of his rum, "We'll just see who's dead last by the end of the night."

Nero cast a quick glance at the elder hunter, and began snickering. "Got a little captain in you?"

Dante rolled his eyes, and let out a sigh, both Lady and Nero laughing.

_It's gonna be a long night…_

* * *

"You're doing a lot better than I figured you would," Lady admitted, giving Dante a coy smile, "but, I think it's about time I wrapped things up."

With that, Lady drew back her pool cue, and brought it forward, the sound of the cue ball clacking against the four ball echoing within the spacious office, the ball making an audible _thack_ sound as it came to rest in the left-hand corner pocket.

Dante let out a groan, and downed his third glass of the game. Of course, one of those glasses had been entirely of his free will; the second had been when Nero sank his last ball, in which both the half devil and Lady had had to drink a full glass each.

Lady went over to his desk, where the score sheet sat. "Well, that's one point for Nero, one for me…and none for you." She gave Dante a look of mock sympathy, the red-clad hunter only snorting in response.

"So, what's next?" Nero asked, refilling everyone's glasses, draining the last of the forty of rum.

Lady brought forward an empty plastic cup, and a handful of quarters.

"Well, I guess that answers that question." The youth chuckled, nudging Dante in the side with his elbow. "You ready to lose again, old man?"

"Bring it on, _kid_." Dante jabbed him back, choking back a laugh as the younger man doubled over, wheezing.

Lady grabbed a bottle of tequila, and made her way over to the sitting area, plopping down comfortably into the armchair. Dante grabbed his glass, and followed her, the half devil and youth sitting at opposite ends of the couch, the younger man still glaring at Dante as he held his sore ribs.

"I trust you both know the rules?" Lady said dryly, putting the red solo cup directly in the centre of the coffee table.

"Child's play," Dante replied with a wry grin, "every time one person makes the shot, the other two have to _take_ a shot." He chuckled at his play on words, Lady and Nero only groaning in response.

"Well, since Nero won first at pool, he gets to go first." Lady tossed one of the coins to the youth, Nero catching it deftly in his outstretched Devil Bringer. The demonic arm pulsed from the contact, flashing a bright blue before dimming once more.

Pinching the quarter between his thumb and forefinger, Nero narrowed his eyes, looking for just the right launch point off of the table. Dante could have laughed at the kid's look of concentration, but decided it against it; if Nero missed the shot and the half devil was to blame, he was certain an enlarged form of a particular demonic arm would crush him into the sofa without an ounce of effort on its owner's part.

Nero threw the quarter, the coin ricocheting off of its intended point, and landing in the cup with a hollow sounding _clink_.

Dante groaned, gulping down half of his rum at the same time as Lady. Next, it was the female hunter's turn. With a casual toss, the quarter bounced, clinking as it landed on top of Nero's quarter.

Both white-haired men took a shot, Dante draining his glass. Despite his high tolerance to alcohol, he was already beginning to feel quite the buzz…

If he didn't start turning the tables soon, not only would he lose at the drinking games, he'd also be passed out before everyone else, too!

_Damn it…there's no way in hell I'm losing this; if I do…_ Dante inwardly shuddered. He didn't even want to think about the consequences that awaited him, if he outright lost.

Taking a quarter from Lady's outstretched hand, Dante pinched the coin lightly, steadying his hand as he took aim. Letting it go, it bounced, coming to rest on top of the first two coins.

He grinned smugly at the others, giving them a casual wave with his hand as if to say, _'What are you waiting for? Drink up.'_

"Don't get cocky, old man." Nero declared, finishing off his glass, and topping it up with tequila. "The night isn't over, yet."

"But when it is, I'll be accepting your proclamations of surrender at dawn." The elder hunter replied smoothly, the corners of his eyes crinkling in amusement.

"Heh. Don't count on it..." Nero scoffed, scoring another shot.

Dante and Lady tipped back their glasses at the same time, the half devil swiping an arm across his mouth.

"Now who's getting cocky, kid?"

Lady took her turn, resulting in Dante scrambling to refill his glass, while Nero took the last swig from his.

"At this rate, you're going to be passed out by midnight." Lady teased, tossing another quarter to Dante.

The devil hunter took his shot, the quarter bouncing off of the table, and clattering to the floor.

"Damn it." He swore, downing half of his tequila with a grimace.

"On second thought, make that Eleven O'clock…"

* * *

_Two hours later…_

After more than a dozen games of quarters, in which Lady was up to fifteen points, Nero at ten, and Dante at a mere three, the hunters decided to play a round of darts. Making their way toward the double doors of the _Devil May Cry_, they stopped a few feet from the left door, the three of them grabbing four darts each out of the foam dart board.

"Where d'we shoot from?" Nero slurred, blearily looking around the room.

Dante bit back a snort, Lady only grinning at the youth's inebriated state.

"Right there, you see where the black tape is?" Lady pointed to a spot about six feet from the dart board, Nero's gaze sweeping back and forth before finally landing on it.

"You sure you're not ready to call it quits, kid?" Dante taunted, twirling one of the darts idly between his fingers.

"I'm fine," the younger man mumbled, glaring at the elder hunter, "last I checked, I've got a helluva better score than you do, ol' man…"

Dante chuckled quietly to himself. _Well, something tells me my luck is about to change…_

Lady threw her first dart, the projectile imbedding in the second red ring of the twenty. "Hmm, looks like I get sixty points."

Next, Nero made his way over to the line, and took his shot, the dart hitting the outer most ring of the two point margin. The youth frowned, running a hand through his already somewhat disheveled hair. "Damn, only four."

Dante didn't even bother to make fun of the kid; he already knew that he'd do better at darts than the youth. For one, he wasn't nearly as incapacitated from the alcohol, and for two, he spent a lot of time taking his frustrations out on this dart board. He hadn't started out that great, but after a while, he had acquired the same accuracy that made him so deadly in battle.

Placing the toe of his right boot flush with the line, the half devil held the dart in his right hand, slowly trailing it back and forth as he lined up his shot. Giving it a toss, his face split into a triumphant grin, as he hit the bulls' eye.

_Nice, fifty points! If I can keep this up, at the very least I won't come dead last…_Dante reassured himself, vacating his position to remove the three darts, and allow Lady her turn.

The female hunter scored thirty more points, bringing her up to ninety. Nero brought himself up to twenty-four, Dante gaining a total of ninety-flush with Lady.

"Just two more shots, and we'll see who wins this round." He declared, exchanging a smirk with the dark-haired woman as she took her third shot, bringing herself up to one-hundred and twenty-nine points.

"At this rate, I think it's safe to say who won't be winning…this game, anyway." Lady laughed, both of them looking over at Nero.

Dante couldn't tell if the younger man was ignoring them, or if he just hadn't heard them. His dart hit the board with a _thwock;_ seventy-four points.

_Hmm…he hit the bulls' eye. It had to be a fluke…_Dante concluded, shrugging at Lady's bewildered expression.

"Relax, babe." Dante winked. "Unless you and I completely botch our next shots, there's no way Nero is winning this round." The half devil brought himself up to one-hundred and ten, his grin faltering slightly. If Nero managed to get even forty more points…

"Oh, I'm not worried." Lady chortled, "I would make your next shot count, if I were you…"

* * *

Five agonizingly long minutes later, Dante exhaled a sigh of relief. The half devil had managed to bring his points up to one-hundred and seventy, Lady coming up in second place with one-hundred and fifty-nine. Nero's last dart hadn't even made it to the board; the youth had tossed it, only to make a heaving sound, and run full tilt toward the bathroom, the dart clacking harmlessly against the wall before hitting the floor.

_Heh! Lightweight…_

"Well, since you won at darts, and we played four rounds, you've earned four points." Lady brought the half devil out of his musings, the female hunter going over their scores. "That brings you up to seven. If you play your cards just right, you might not end up dead last, after all."

"Always with the tone of surprise…" Dante remarked dryly, crossing his arms over his chest as he glanced at the bathroom door.

"Hey kid, you alright in there?" He hollered, cupping one hand around his mouth.

This question was met with the unmistakable sound of retching, the half devil shaking his head as he headed to the kitchenette. Filling a glass with water, he strode over to the bathroom door, and knocked gently. "Here kid, have some water. It'll help."

There was a pause, before Nero opened the door a crack; the youth knelt on the bathroom floor, his hand shakily closing around the glass. "Thanks." He murmured, and eagerly drank the cool liquid down, handing the empty glass back to Dante.

"So, what d'ya say kid," Dante leaned against the doorframe, crossing one ankle over the other with his hands in his pockets, looking down at him, "do you fold, yet?"

The younger hunter glared up at him. "Not a chance in hell."

Dante let out a chuckle, and extended a hand to the younger man, helping him to his feet.

"Well in that case, I got another game we can play."

* * *

As far as Dante was concerned, the morning came too soon. The half devil let out a groan, and attempted to roll over onto his right side, his arm coming up to shield his eyes from the beam of sunlight washing over his face. The next thing he knew, he landed hard on the floor, his cheek brushing against the familiar roughness of an area rug. Cracking an eye open, he confirmed what he already had guessed; he was on the floor in front of the sofa, having managed to miraculously not hit his head off of the coffee table when he'd fallen off of his make-shift bed.

Peering from beneath heavy lids, he noticed the multitude of empty alcohol bottles littering the coffee table and the floor, small pools of liquid surrounding those that had been knocked over before their contents could be finished.

Sitting up slowly, Dante looked around the office, his eyes stopping at the armchair. The devil hunter grinned, as he took in the disheveled form of Nero; the youth was curled up in the armchair, his knees drawn up to his chest in the fetal position, with his back pressed against the left arm of the chair, his feet dangling over the opposite side. His chin rested on his chest, his arms wrapped tightly around his knees. Dark rings sat beneath the younger man's eyes, slightly obscured by the lock of silvery-white hair that fell across his face. His long blue coat was half tangled around his midsection, the red zip-up hoodie beneath it riding up to reveal the pale flesh of his waist.

Getting to his feet, Dante swayed on the spot, succumbing to a sudden head rush.

_How the hell much did I drink last night? _He pondered, pressing the palm of one gloved hand against his eyes, waiting for the feeling of vertigo to pass. Once it did, the devil hunter made his way across the office, his boots thudding dully as he came to a stop before the desk. Finding what he was looking for, he cautiously picked up the score chart, cringing slightly in anticipation before looking at the scores from the previous night's drinking games; games that had gone on well into the small hours of the morning. Dante wasn't sure when he had passed out, or even who had passed out first; but upon seeing the scores, the half devil let out an anguished moan.

Casting a surreptitious glance at Nero, he noticed the youth was still very much passed out. His eyes followed the staircase leading up to the bedrooms overlooking the office, concluding that Lady was most likely snuggled up in the comfort of the guest bed. Looking back down at the score sheet, the devil hunter had the fleeting thought of changing the scores in his favour.

Running a hand through his hair, he let out a sigh. No, he wasn't going to cheat; as much as he was dreading the consequences to come, he wouldn't stoop so low.

_Besides, it would be just my luck if Lady had this damn thing memorized. If she does, I'll be far worse off cheating... _Dante gave a shudder; and knowing Lady, it would be something far worse than a bullet to the head. She was well aware that the half devil could brush that off like an insect bite. If she caught him changing the scores…well, he dreaded to think what horrors would await him.

Heaving another sigh, the half devil decided now was as good a time as any to brew a pot of coffee; if he was going to be publicly shamed, it wasn't going to be with a hangover…

* * *

_One hour later…_

Dante glared daggers, as both Lady and Nero succumbed to hoarse laughter.

_Didn't we already do this song and dance?_ He thought bitterly, folding his arms over his bare chest.

"Hey, hold on a second there, Dante." Lady stepped forward, paintbrush in hand. "We haven't finished yet; put your arms down at your sides."

The half devil choked back a frustrated growl, his eyes becoming glacial the longer he stared at Nero. His murderous scowl did nothing to stop the youth's hysterics, of course. No matter how many times he glared at the younger man with the promise of death in his eyes, it only served to make him laugh that much harder.

Dante flinched at the slight tickle of the paintbrush, as Lady swept it over his left pectoral, giggling at her artwork all the while. Dante glanced down, and rolled his eyes.

"Pink hearts, Lady?" He scoffed. "You take indignity to a whole new level, you know that? Huh, and _I'm_ supposed to be the devil, here…"

Lady laughed at this, continuing her meticulous painting of the half devil's upper torso. "Oh trust me; this isn't even going to be the _half_ of it."

Nero managed to calm down, snickering as he watched the proceedings. "You know old man, for a bit there, I thought you might actually beat me; especially when it came to that game of darts."

"If he hadn't choked during that game of beer pong, he probably would have." Lady stated, finishing up the large purple unicorn on Dante's ribcage.

"Don't remind me…" Dante growled, amidst the chuckles of his so-called _friends_. "It's official; I'm never drinking with either of you again."

"That's what you said last time."

"And the time before that…"

"And the time before that…" Nero chuckled, flashing the elder hunter an, _I'm-sorry-but-I'm-really-not _grin.

Dante gave a slight snort of laughter, as Lady swirled the paintbrush around his navel, the female hunter giving him a playful wink. "Don't be such a sore loser, Dante. After all, you agreed to these terms, remember."

The half devil scowled at her for a moment, before heaving a resigned sigh. "Damn it," he muttered. "Okay, so how long do I have to walk around with rainbows and ponies painted all over me?"

"Oh, not long," Lady bit back a snicker, causing the half devil to narrow his eyes suspiciously, "just until the end of the Gay Pride Parade."

Nero began laughing again at the look of horror on Dante's face, Lady only smirking, her eyes lighting up mischievously.

"What?!" He couldn't _possibly_ have heard right…

"Oh, I guess we forgot to tell him," Lady exchanged a look with Nero, the youth chuckling darkly, "didn't you know, Dante? Today is the Gay Pride Parade, and you get to be a lucky participant in it!"

"No…" The half devil groaned, casting the female hunter a pleading look. "You can't be serious…"

"Oh relax, Dante. There are plenty of straight people that participate in it," Lady giggled, "don't worry; I made sure to let the directors of the parade know that you aren't up for grabs."

Dante ran a hand over his face, a strangled sigh escaping his throat.

_I'm never gambling again…Not. Ever. Again…_


	30. Chapter 30: Glimpse

**Hey there, everybody! Usually I try to get a chapter up every other day at the very latest...but this chapter gave me trouble. I admit, whatever I originally intended for "Glimpse", I forgot about it as soon as I started writing. Still, I hope you manage to enjoy this one. There's not overly much humour or fluff...little bits here and there, but not much. :S So as always, please R&R. Do you like it, do you not like it? What's good, what needs work...you get the idea. Oh, the woes of basing your chapters on word prompts...lol. ^^;**

**And as always, thanks to those of you who have reviewed and added to your favourites. Your support and feedback are much appreciated!**

**Disclaimer: ****I own nothing. I'd love it if I owned Dante (Hey, wouldn't we all like to?) but sadly, he, along with every other character and the Devil May Cry series, belongs to Capcom. This fanfiction is non-profit, and purely for entertainment.**

* * *

_**Glimpse**_

Just one look; that's all it took for the half devil to realize something was bothering the teenaged girl. Only a few moments ago, Patty had been chatting enthusiastically about how well her mother's bakery was doing. Even though the thirteen-year-old wasn't technically old enough to be on the payroll, she still pulled her weight in the small business, baking every bit as efficiently as her mother's actual employees. When she wasn't doing that, she was taking care of the catering receipts.

She had just finished telling Dante about their coconut buns, the most sought after baked good in the entire town, when her cell phone rang. After a brief exchange over the phone, the young girl had fallen silent, a far-off look in her eyes, her mouth agape.

"Patty?" Dante looked up from his magazine, the corners of his mouth pulling down into a frown at the panic-stricken expression on her face.

"The bakery…" Patty murmured softly, a slight tremor in her voice.

Without another word, Dante grabbed his long red leather coat, threw it over his shoulders, and secured Rebellion to his back with a flourish, the blade gleaming brightly in the light cast through the high-arched windows.

As he took long, quick strides across to the office's double doors, the devil hunter noted the look of bewilderment on Patty's face, before her expression changed to one of understanding.

"Dante?"

Her voice held her unspoken question, Dante turning to look at her over his shoulder.

"Let's go, Patty." He declared. "You can fill me in on the way there."

* * *

Dante winced at the near death grip Patty had on his midsection, as they weaved in and out of traffic, the half devil leaning from side to side as he manoeuvred the speed bike between vehicles.

_Of all the days for my car to be in the shop... _He lamented to himself, narrowly missing the side-mirror of a minivan. The half devil hadn't managed to get much out of the girl clinging tightly against his back before they'd departed, but what little information she had given him-before her vocal chords seized up from sheer terror-was that the bakery had fallen under attack.

Knowing full well this wasn't the work of some run-of-the-mill crooks, Dante opened the throttle on his bike, aware of the turmoil Patty was feeling; she had only been reunited with her mother a few short years ago. If anything had happened to Nina Lowell…

Energy crackled through his hands at this thought, his demonic powers fusing with the speed bike, urging the machine on, the bike's frame whining and groaning in protest.

Seeing their turn coming up, the devil hunter pushed the bike even harder, gritting his teeth from the strain.

"Hold on!" He shouted. The teen did as she was told, her grip becoming painful on his ribs, though Dante didn't care. Turning right, the speed bike skidded across the road, cutting into the opposite lane. Fortunately for both of them, there was no on-coming traffic, Patty letting out a strangled cry as she buried her face directly between the half devil's shoulder blades. Lucky for her, Dante had opted to fasten Rebellion to the length of the bike, rather than leaving the large sword on his back. If not for that shred of common sense, the blonde girl's ride would be a lot more unpleasant than it already was.

Dante squeezed the brake, the speed bike lurching forward on its front tire from the suddenness of the stop, the half devil losing circulation as Patty managed to cling even tighter around his middle.

"Patty, we've stopped." The half devil said patiently, attempting to pry her fingers loose. "You need to let go, now…your mother, the bakery…"

At these words, her grip slackened, the girl dismounting the bike clumsily as she continued to tremble. Swiftly putting Rebellion over his back, Dante grabbed Patty by the hand, and began running, tugging her hand firmly to keep her moving. Whipping around the corner, Dante came to a halt, Patty nearly stumbling into him.

The devil hunter didn't need to look hard; thick black smoke coiled up from the roof of the bakery, flames licking their way up the building through the open windows. Only one section of the building seemed to be untouched; the shipping dock. Seizing this opportunity, Dante rushed forward, shouting at Patty to stay put as he burst through the heavy metal doors.

Smoke hung thick in the air, clouding the half devil's vision the moment he made it inside. Crouching low, he swept his gaze from one side of the storage area to the next, his eyes flicking over skids and loading crates, finally coming to rest on the unconscious form of a petite woman just beyond them.

"Nina!" He rushed to her side, and scooped her up into his arms. Keeping as low as he could, Dante made his way back out of the bakery, Nina's caramel hair wafting against his cheek as he ran, a slight moan escaping the woman's lips.

"Mom!" Patty ran forward, meeting the half devil partway as he gently laid Nina on the ground.

Dante removed his coat, and bunched it beneath her head as a makeshift pillow. He gently shook Nina's shoulder, her green eyes fluttering open, flickering between fear and exhaustion.

"Nina, was anyone else in the bakery when it was attacked?" He asked, his voice rasping slightly from the smoke.

"N-No…I'd just sent the last person home. I was about to finish up some paperwork…and then…they came out of nowhere…"

"Who came out of nowhere, mom?" Patty asked urgently, clasping one of Nina's hands in both of her own.

"Demons…"

With that, Nina slipped back into unconsciousness, Patty gently patting her cheek in an attempt to wake her.

"Patty, call an ambulance. When it gets here, go with your mother." Dante ordered. The devil hunter got to his feet, sword in hand.

"Wait, what are you doing?" Patty asked, her voice rising in alarm.

"Taking out the trash…and something tells me there's a lot of it in there." His eyes narrowed as he closed in on the burning building, the half devil paying no mind to the fire truck as it screeched to a halt behind him, nor to the protests of the firefighters within it that attempted to dissuade him from getting any closer to the vicious flames.

_Whoever's responsible for this is going to be really damn sorry when I'm through with them…_

* * *

From the moment he returned to the loading dock, Dante could smell it; an unpleasant, pungent aroma with sulfuric undertones, intermingling with the scent of the bakery burning all around him. Springing upward, he dodged the first attack of his adversary, the half devil landing on the balls of his feet several paces away.

Large quills penetrated the concrete where he'd just been standing, each sharp spike dripping with yellow-coloured venom. Quickly glancing to his right, cool baby blues met fierce red eyes, overlooking a large gaping mouth filled with serrated teeth. The demon lashed out again, sending another barrage of its quills raining down around the devil hunter. Dante dodged to and fro, withdrawing Ebony and Ivory from their holsters.

Crossing the M1911's at his wrists, he pulled the triggers, opening fire on the six-legged creature, whirling and ducking as more quills whizzed overhead.

The demon's armour shattered where the bullets struck, an enraged howl tearing from its throat as it bounded toward the devil hunter, its clawed feet scrambling madly over the concrete floor. Launching itself at Dante, its jaw clamped down over his shoulder, jagged teeth piercing through clothing and flesh alike.

Clenching his teeth, Dante brought Ivory forward, and unloaded several shots into the demon's face, the creature recoiling with a shriek as blood spurted from one of its eyes. Giving his wounds a quick once-over, he breathed a sigh of relief. There wasn't any toxin in the demon's teeth, so the deep gashes would heal within moments.

Another deep bellow answered the shriek of the demon writhing before him, causing Dante to spin around, tucking and rolling to the side as another six-legged devil lashed out at him with one of its front claws. Bringing both pistols up at the same time, he rapid fired, letting out a pained grunt when the demon landed a hit.

Dante was flung to the far side of the loading area, just missing the flames that ate through the ceiling above them, the floor boards giving way with a groan before caving in on top of him.

_Well, this is just great…_

Managing to glimpse through a hole in the rubble covering him, the half devil saw both demons scurrying toward him, saliva dripping from their large mouths as they roared in fury. With his own angry cry, he burst forth from the wreckage, quickly grabbing Rebellion from his back, and launched the sword forward like a javelin. The blade pierced clean through the first demon, buried to the skeletal ribs of Rebellion's hilt. Jumping forward, Dante planted one boot on the snout of the demon, unleashing a salvo with Ebony as he tore Rebellion out with his right hand. The creature let out a pained shriek, before collapsing into a cloud of dust.

The half devil's victory was short-lived, as the second demon tackled him to the floor, its front claws pinning both of Dante's arms, the weight of its body crushing down on him. Dante nearly retched at the creature's sour breath, turning his head to one side. Managing to wriggle one of his legs free, he kicked the devil in the stomach, emitting a gurgle of pain from the creature as it spat up blood.

Grimacing in disgust as some of the liquid landed on his shoulder, Dante sent another savage kick, this time succeeding in dislodging the demon from on top of him. Doing a kip-up, he sliced upward, tearing a large gash from the demon's underbelly to its right shoulder, blood spattering all over him. He went in for the kill, performing multiple forward jabs with the blade before unleashing a final one, Rebellion's blade resonating in harmony with his own demonic energy with the final thrust.

"Break down!"

Before he could flick the blood from his blade, another savage cry rent the air, echoing from the hole in the ceiling. Snapping his head upward, Dante groaned inwardly as several large Arachne squeezed through the hole, jostling one another to determine who would lash out at the devil hunter first.

"The infamous son of Sparda." one of them hissed, its fellows echoing the statement. Dante rolled his eyes; it seemed he would forever be plagued by the clichéd line.

"You will pay the price for slaying our comrades!" Declared another; its voice guttural in comparison to the first, mandibles clacking menacingly.

The Arachne dropped down from the hole, a few of the smaller ones trailing down from the small threads their abdomens produced.

"Oh good, you've come to play." Dante quipped. "Now, which one of you assholes is going to tell me who's responsible for this?"

"What makes you think we're not it?" The first one hissed, its eight legs scurrying across the floor as it charged at the half devil.

With a wry grin, Dante leapt into the air, and performed a downward slash, splitting the giant spider in half. "Well, you're not smart enough, for one…"

A cacophony of angry cries arose from the other Arachne, all of them rushing forward to meet the devil hunter's blade.

_I doubt this is all of them. _Dante concluded, cutting the head off of one and turning around to impale another. _Whoever's behind this, something tells me I'll get answers on the top floor._

* * *

It had taken Dante ten minutes to finish off the arachnid horde, and fortunately for him, the top floor was no longer ablaze by the time he reached it. Clearly, the firefighters were hard at work. What surprised him the most was that none of them had ventured in after him; he supposed that he probably had Patty to thank for that.

However, now was not the time to ponder things; not when a myriad of different demons were descending on him.

_Blood-goyles, the Seven Hells, three Vanguards…and hell knows how many Soul Eaters. Damn it…_

Dante ran a quick mental calculation, keeping a sharp eye on the vapour trails of the Soul Eaters and Vanguards, in particular. They weren't difficult to kill, but they were pretty evasive when they wanted to be.

As he stood there, he heard the unmistakable cackle-hiss of a Fault; the subterranean demon that somewhat resembled an inverted octopus appeared beneath his feet, forcing him to jump high into the rafters before it closed its tentacle-like maw around him-reminding him of a carnivorous plant as it did so. Glaring at him through bleary red eyes, the Fault slipped back down below, the dimensions of the floor rippling like water as it disappeared.

_As if I didn't have enough to deal with!_

All he needed was another glimpse of the creature, and he'd be able to kill it before it fully appeared. Unfortunately, it seemed the other demons weren't going to patiently wait for this to occur. Three Soul Eaters appeared around him, intent on grabbing hold of him to suck the power from his body. Dante ducked, grabbing hold of the beam he'd just been standing on, and swung upward, Rebellion in his right hand. He slashed the air, dispersing two of the demons in a puff of purple gas. The third he hit full force with his feet, sending it smashing into the opposite beam, leaving nothing but a violet stain on damp wood.

Just as Dante was about to jump back up onto the beam, it cracked. The large fire-blackened wood fell to the floor below, taking the devil hunter with it. Flipping in midair, he landed on his feet, thrusting his sword downward as the Fault appeared below him. The demon died quietly, the floor phasing in and out, before solidifying again.

"Well, that takes care of that." Dante muttered, standing. He looked around, realizing the varied demons were closing in on him from all sides. Resting Rebellion casually over his right shoulder, he spread his left arm out wide, turning to look at each one of them.

"Alright, this is how it's going to be," he declared, his voice deadly. "I'm going to ask you a question; if you don't answer, I'll kill all but _one_ of you. Whoever I feel charitable enough to keep alive…you had better make it worth my while, or your death will be the most painful of all…"

He extended Ebony then, the gun's barrel coming to rest against the forehead of a Wrath class Hell, the demon straining under the burden of the explosive load it carried, moaning fearfully at the sudden contact of the pistol.

"Now, who the hell summoned you here, and why?" The half devil ground out between clenched teeth. "And I'd speak up quickly, if I were you, because I am not in a waiting mood…"

* * *

_Mundus…_

The name echoed inside of Dante's head, his fists involuntarily balling into tight fists.

_Mundus._

The Demon King, the very devil responsible for Dante losing his mother, father and then, his twin brother, Vergil…had just so happened to launch an attack against Nina's bakery.

After the half devil had acquired this information, he set to work on killing every last devil in the building; originally, he'd intended on showing them clemency, as long as they co-operated. But, when Mundus' name was uttered, he knew he couldn't let a single one of them go.

_Why did Mundus send his subordinates here?_ Dante wondered, taking a long swig of the beer in his hand. After he'd finished up at the bakery, he had gone to the hospital to check in on Nina; the woman's wounds had been superficial, most of her issues stemming from smoke inhalation. She would be fine, but the doctors insisted on keeping her overnight for observation.

As such, Patty had come home with Dante. Exhausted from the day's events, the teenager had given the devil hunter a grateful hug, and headed straight upstairs to the guest room to sleep. And so here Dante sat; at his usual spot, in his usual way, leaning back on the hind legs of his chair.

_It can't be a coincidence._ He mused, watching as the ceiling fan made lazy passes overhead. The half devil just couldn't make sense of it. Sure, Mundus had sworn he would rise to power again, and take over the human world…but this soon? It was doubtful that he'd restored his powers already. It would likely take the Demon King two decades or more to even reach _half_ strength, let alone full strength.

_So…why the bakery? It couldn't have been just a random attack; so what would he want with Nina Lowe-_

It hit Dante then, the half devil choking on his beer mid-swig. Lowell!

_That's it!_

It all made sense; chances were, Mundus knew all about how Alan Lowell had controlled and harnessed the powers of demons…all except for one; Abigail. But, having been defeated and forced back into the lowest levels of the Demon Realm, Mundus' information network was outdated. The Demon King probably had wanted his minions to seize the pendant known as Alan's Tear, so that he could take Abigail's power for himself. If he'd been able to achieve it, the Demon King would have risen to power much quicker than he currently could do on his own.

_Heh! Too bad he doesn't know another idiot already made a bid for that power, and lost it._ Dante snickered, crumpling the beer can and tossing it to the side.

Still, it was good to know that Mundus was scheming his way up the ladder again. At least Dante now had a glimpse of what was to come.

_And when it comes, I'll be ready..._


	31. Chapter 31: Play

**Hello readers! I did this chapter much faster than I thought I would; this one showcases nearly everyone (Morrison didn't make an appearance-sorry!) and all in all, I really enjoyed writing it. I mean really; it's ridiculous how much giggling I did. So yes, there is humour...and fluff. Oh my god, the fluff...so I hope you all enjoy it. Thank you so much for those of you who have reviewed or added this to your favourites. Honestly, I cannot thank you enough for your continued interest in this word-prompt series. :) Please R&R!**

**Disclaimer:**** I own nothing and no one. Devil May Cry is the property of Capcom. I am making absolutely no money off of this; it is purely for enjoyment, nothing more, nothing less.**

* * *

_**Play**_

"Look Dante, it's snowing!" Patty exclaimed, the excitement in her voice drawing the devil hunter's attention away from the magazine he was leafing through. Her sapphire eyes were bright, the teen turning her head to gaze wistfully out the arched window at the fluffy white flakes drifting down.

"That's kind of what happens in winter, Patty." He remarked dryly, returning his attention to the swimsuit model in the centrefold.

"I can't remember the last time I built a snowman, or had a snowball fight…" Patty trailed off thoughtfully, her eyes glazing as she reminisced.

"Neither can I." Nero declared as he sunk the eight ball. The youth let out an exasperated groan, causing Lady to laugh quietly.

"Looks like I win this round. Better luck next time." The female devil hunter set her pool cue down, giving the younger hunter a playful wink.

"Luckily for you, Lady didn't turn it into a wager," Trish commented, a slight smile gracing her lips, "but then again, you're not Dante."

"Hey…" The half devil protested in an injured tone, his magazine suddenly forgotten.

"I remember the last time I played in the snow," Kyrie spoke up softly, the red-head coming forward to loop her arm through Nero's, "you and I used to play out in the snow all the time, remember?" She smiled up at the white-haired youth, her eyes shining warmly.

"Oh yeah, we did too…" Nero replied, blushing slightly. He began laughing a moment later, his shoulders shaking with his chuckles. "Do you remember when we dumped that huge pile of snow on Credo from the roof?"

Kyrie giggled along with him. "How could I forget? He was so mad at us…I thought he'd ground us for the next five years!"

"He did ground me for about two months," Nero shuffled his feet self-consciously, averting his gaze. "I kind of convinced him to let you off the hook, though."

Kyrie's expression was a mixture of surprise and amusement. "You did? How…?"

"I uh…I told him it was my idea…" Nero rubbed the back of his neck, his cheeks flushing a deeper shade of red.

Kyrie laughed at this, playfully smacking the youth on the arm. "Nero! You took the blame for me? That was really sweet of you…" she leaned forward, kissing him lightly on the cheek.

"I didn't think you could turn any redder there, kid; looks like you've proven me wrong." Dante chuckled, stretching his arms out behind his head as he tilted back in his chair. "And to think, the ever-so-sweet Kyrie has a devious streak, after all." He gave the amber-eyed maiden a wink, causing an identical blush to colour her cheeks.

"Hmm…" Trish put a finger to her lips thoughtfully. "Business has been rather slow lately, and I've never engaged in any winter activities before…"

"Never?" Lady raised an eyebrow, looking at her blonde friend in amazement.

"Oh Trish, you've never lived! That settles it, then." Dante grinned impishly. "Who's up for a good, old-fashioned snowball fight?"

* * *

Dante breathed in the crisp cool air, his breath coming out in little puffs of steam. It wasn't too cold out yet, being as early in the season as it was; in fact, the half devil found it invigorating. It felt as though all of his senses had awoken from a deep slumber.

"We should have a snowman-making competition!" Patty declared, the blonde teenager forming a ball with the packing snow in her hand. Putting it down on top of a thick layer of snow, she began rolling it, the ball growing larger as she pushed it along the ground.

Fortunately, the city had gotten a healthy dumping of snow in the short hours since the white flakes had started drifting from the cloud-covered sky. Everyone followed Patty's lead, Lady and Kyrie joining up with Trish to tutor the demoness in the fine art of snowman making.

Dante grinned, and began making his own, the half devil moving quickly as he rolled the first ball to just the right size. Starting on the second one, an idea formed in his head, causing him to chuckle quietly.

Several minutes later, Dante could feel the eyes of everyone else following him as he finished his creation. Standing off to the side, his ears were met with the sound of collective groans, gasps, and laughter.

"I said snow_man_, Dante." Patty giggled, "Not snow woman…"

"You are such a pervert, Dante." Lady rolled her eyes, though the half devil caught the subtle twitching of her lips as she took in the two 'mounds' on the front of his creation.

Before he could reply, a very cold and wet something hit him smack-dab on the forehead. Turning to see where the snowball had come from, the half devil was hit yet again, this time on the nose.

Nero laughed uproariously, the youth's hands braced on his knees after he pegged the elder hunter with yet another snowball-resulting in some of the snow going up his nostrils.

Sputtering, Dante cast a mock glare at the younger hunter, his lips twisting into a sinister grin.

"Oh, you've done it now, kid…" Dante scooped up a handful of snow, and charged forward, intent on rubbing the cold substance in the youth's face.

Nero dodged him, chuckling as he bolted back and forth, using one of the many trees dotting the plaza as a shield. The youth was becoming breathless, panting through his laughter. Dante took advantage of the younger hunter's weakened state, and tackled him to the ground, pinning both arms above his head with one hand, while holding the large glob of snow with the other. He held it over Nero threateningly, the younger hunter shaking his head back in forth, pleading with him not to do it through his helpless giggles.

Dante couldn't suppress his own laughter at the younger man's comical antics. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't…" he declared, grinning wolfishly at his prey.

Before Nero could respond and Dante could make good with his punishment, the half devil was pegged with a flurry of snowballs, some of the icy fluff sliding down the back of his neck, causing him to yelp in surprise.

Shuddering as it trickled between his shoulder blades, Dante looked up at his assailants. Lady and Patty stood side-by-side, both of them laughing at his reaction to the attack, the blonde girl doubled over as she clutched her sides.

"I hope you've made peace with yourselves, ladies…" Dante growled playfully, forgetting all about the victim he currently had pinned down. "…Because this means war!"

Just as he was getting to his feet, Nero sprang into action, pushing Dante's snow-filled hand into his own face.

Dante gasped as chunks of ice trailed down his face, melting into very cold water droplets. By the time he had recovered his wits, Nero had taken off; the youth siding with the female hunter and teenaged girl.

Scooping up more snow, Dante turned to face his adversaries, giving them his best, _'You're in for it, now'_ grin.

With a snowball in each hand, he ran forward, lobbing both snowballs at the same time, both reaching their intended marks. Nero and Lady sputtered, wiping the snow from their faces. Dante didn't stop running though, the half devil chuckling at the look on Patty's face when she realized she was his next target. The teen let out a yelp, laughing hard as she scrambled to get away from the devil hunter bearing down on her.

"Lady, Nero…Help!" She cried through her giggles, Dante catching her around the middle and pulling her to the ground.

"No one can help you now, _princess_. You're mine!" The half devil laughed diabolically, tightening his hold around the blonde girl with one arm, scooping a heap of snow up in his free hand.

"No…Dante please…don't do it…I'm sorry!" Patty managed between giggles, the girl beginning to squirm in desperation.

"Oh really," Dante chuckled, "not half as sorry as you're going to be!" With that, he dumped the snow down the back of the young girl's coat, Patty squealing in protest.

The half devil released his victim, Patty hopping around as she tried to shake the remaining snow out of her clothing.

Laughing at the teen, Dante was caught off guard when a large mound of snow fell on him from above. Shaking the snow off of him, the half devil trembled, as yet more ice cascaded down his chest and back. Looking up, he glared accusingly at the perpetrator; the lone naked bough of the evergreen he hadn't even realized he'd been standing under.

_Something tells me the tree didn't dump it on me of its own free will…_

Dante's gaze met Nero's, the youth grinning smugly as he casually leaned against the trunk of the tree, arms folded over his chest.

Just as the elder hunter was about to retaliate against him, Nero was pelted with a snowball that came whizzing over Dante's shoulder. Glancing back, the half devil smiled at Kyrie, the shy woman grinning back at him.

_It seems I have an accomplice…_

"Kyrie?" Nero asked in disbelief, brushing the snow from his hair.

Dante heard a yelp from behind him, Lady mirroring Nero's movements as she brushed snow off of her shoulders. Trish stood behind her, the she-devil giggling into her hand as the brunette whirled around to face her, a sly grin stretching across her face.

"We thought we'd even up the odds." Trish smirked, winking at Dante.

The red-clad hunter chuckled, spreading his arms wide. "Well ladies," he addressed his partners in crime, "should we show 'em how it's really done?"

With that, Dante sprang into action, Kyrie and Trish scooping up snow at the same time he did, the group dissolving into frenzied laughter as both teams bombarded one another with snowballs.

* * *

It was sundown when they returned to the _Devil May Cry_, the office warm and inviting after their full-scale snowball war out in the chilly winter air.

Shedding their sodden coats and boots, the group piled into the main sitting area, Dante squeezing in between Lady and Trish on the sofa while Nero and Kyrie curled up in the armchair, Patty sitting on the floor by Dante's feet, the adolescent girl resting her head wearily on his right knee.

The devil hunter leaned back, draping his arms over the back of the couch, a relaxed smile on his face. It had been a long time since he'd had that much fun; for a little while, he had felt like a kid again.

Glancing from beneath long eyelashes, he noticed that Lady and Trish both had the same sleepy smile on their faces; Lady was no doubt reminiscing over the earlier years of her own childhood, while Trish, who hadn't had one, seemed to be pleased that she'd finally had the chance to experience one.

Looking at Nero and Kyrie, a chuckle rumbled through his chest; the youth had his head resting against Kyrie's shoulder, his eyes drifting closed as sleep claimed him. Kyrie seemed to feel Dante's gaze, for she looked up, offering him a bright smile.

"He used to do this after every snowball fight when we were kids, too." She whispered, giggling as the devil hunter chuckled again.

"I could really go for some hot chocolate." Patty yawned, lifting her head from the half devil's knee. "Does anyone else want some?"

Everyone, with the exception of Nero, accepted the offer, all of them as exhausted as the slumbering youth clearly had been.

"Should I make one for him too, just in case?" Patty asked Kyrie, halting mid-step.

Kyrie nodded, thanking the teenager for her thoughtfulness. Patty only smiled in reply, before disappearing into the kitchenette.

Dante was startled, as Lady slumped against him; the female hunter breathed evenly, her eyes closed, a peaceful expression settling over her face. Smirking, Dante exchanged a look with Trish, the demoness shaking her head with a slight smile.

And just like that, the half devil found himself with a woman under each arm, their heads resting on either side of his chest.

"For someone who has rotten luck with women," Patty re-entered the room, grinning as she carried a tray of mugs in her hands, "you sure do find yourself surrounded by them."

Dante shrugged nonchalantly, doing his best not to disrupt the blonde and brunette.

"What can I say? It must be my animal magnetism."

Patty scoffed in reply, and began handing the hot chocolate out, placing three of the mugs on the coffee table for the three sleeping hunters to have, once they woke up.

Kyrie gently shook Nero, waking him so that he could enjoy the beverage before it got too cold. "Shouldn't you wake them, too?" She asked Dante, smiling knowingly at him.

"He should," Nero cut in groggily, stifling a yawn, "it's doubtful that he will though."

Patty and Kyrie laughed at this, the former taking up her previous position at the half devil's feet, leaning her head back against his knee as she took a sip of her cocoa.

"Just give me a few more minutes." Dante replied, grinning. "Then I'll wake them."

Glancing between the three females snuggling up to him, he let out a soft laugh. He extended a hand carefully as to not wake the women on either side of him, and ruffled Patty's hair affectionately. The teen looked as though she was about to scold him, but thought better of it, and wound up smiling sleepily at him instead. Within moments, she was sleeping soundly, half rested against the bottom of the sofa, her head on the outer part of Dante's thigh, hot cocoa completely forgotten.

_If this is what's going to happen after every snowball fight, we ought to have one every day. I could get used to this…_


	32. Chapter 32: Surrender

**And so the series continues! Hello everyone; as always, I'd like to thank you all for your reviews, and thank those of you who have added this story to your favourites. I hope you continue to enjoy this word prompt series for Devil May Cry. This is a fairly long chapter, showcasing the lengths Dante would go to rescue Nero, when the youth is kidnapped by a powerful demon. Please R&R! :)**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Devil May Cry, or the characters. They are the property of Capcom. No profit is made from this; this fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes, only.**

* * *

_**Surrender**_

Dante came to a halt a few paces from the _Devil May Cry_'s front steps, the wind whipping his lapels to and fro, the tail of his coat fluttering in the wind.

Standing just beneath the single fluorescent bulb was Kyrie, the red-haired woman wrapped from head to toe in a thick grey cloak, facing away from him as she stared at the double doors. From what the half devil could see, tear tracks lined her right cheek, the maiden's hands clasped tightly together in front of her.

"Kyrie?"

His voice seemed to startle her, her tear-filled golden eyes coming to rest on him, a mixture of anguish and relief etched upon her face.

"Oh Dante, you're here!" She half sobbed, as she started to head down the steps to meet him.

Dante met her half way, the hunter surprised when Kyrie clung to him tightly, sniffling into his chest. Looking up and down the street, he realized Nero was nowhere to be seen.

"Kyrie," he said gently, wrapping a comforting arm around her, "where's Nero?"

At this, Kyrie only started to sob harder, causing Dante's stomach to clench guiltily. Had something happened to the kid? For Kyrie to show up on his doorstep alone, it had to be pretty bad…

Wrapping an arm around her shoulder, he guided her back up the steps, opening the office door. "Come on sweetheart; let's get you out of the cold. Then you can tell me what happened."

Kyrie only nodded, her sobs turning to hiccupping sighs.

_I don't know what's going on, but I hope you're okay, kid…_

* * *

Ten minutes later, Kyrie had calmed down enough to tell Dante exactly what had happened. She had gone out to the market to pick up the ingredients for dinner that evening, leaving Nero to repair one of the windows that had broken when a tree branch had gone through it during a thunderstorm.

Kyrie took a sip of her camomile tea, and continued with her story. "I was only gone for about an hour. When I came back, the front door had been torn right off the hinges," her voice shook, the tea cup in her hand rattling against the saucer that she held beneath it. "At first, I was afraid to enter at all; but when I heard nothing coming from inside the apartment, I slowly ventured in."

Dante sat in the armchair across from her, his elbows resting on his knees with his fingers interlocking in front of him. He patiently waited for her to continue, his cool blue eyes taking in her more than frazzled appearance.

"Nearly everything in the apartment was destroyed; a lot of the furniture was reduced to rubble and sawdust. I think Nero was responsible for most of it…" She trailed off, wiping a tear from her eye.

"He must have put up quite a fight," Dante deduced, "was there anything else that can give us a clue as to who attacked him, and where he might be?"

Kyrie nodded, her eyes brimming with more tears. "There was a message carved into the living room wall…'If you value his life, son of Sparda, surrender your will to me'."

Dante sat upright, his eyes narrowing. "The message was meant for me?"

The half devil gulped several times, trying his best to calm the rage bubbling through his veins, threatening to send him into his devil trigger. Clenching his teeth, he breathed deeply through his nose, steadying himself; anger simmered beneath his skin, nearly blinding him. He'd be damned if he flew into a rage though; it was the last thing he wanted to do, especially in front of the already distressed Kyrie. Not only would his anger frighten her, seeing him lose control would heighten her panic. He needed to stay in control, to let her know that saving Nero wasn't beyond his reach. Even more than that, he needed to convince _himself_ of it; there was no room for self-pity and doubts, not when Nero's life was at stake.

Looking at the maiden, Dante's expression softened; she wept quietly, dabbing at her eyes with a laced handkerchief. "Kyrie," when her eyes met his, his chest tightened, "I'm…I'm so sorry…"

She looked at him, a puzzled frown on her face. "I don't understand…what do you have to be sorry for?"

Dante ran a gloved hand through his hair; he wasn't good at this type of thing…

"Whoever took Nero…they did it to get my attention. They know that he's connected to me somehow," he explained, sighing. "Though how much they know, I couldn't tell you. Either way…I…I should have kept a better eye on him; I've made a lot of enemies, between my demonic ancestry and my work…I should have seen something like this coming." He couldn't stop the words from coming out strangled, broken.

Resting his head in his hands, he was surprised when he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Kyrie smiling warmly at him, despite her tears. "It's not your fault, Dante. You mustn't blame yourself."

Dante shook his head, his stomach churning with more guilt than he believed possible. "If you never knew me, Nero wouldn't be in this mess."

"If we never knew you, neither one of us would be alive today."

Dante was surprised by the firm conviction in her voice; it must have shown, because the next thing he knew, Kyrie pulled him into a tight embrace.

"We owe you our lives…just please…please bring Nero back to me…" she choked on these words, the half devil feeling hot tears against his neck, where her face was buried. "I know it's a lot to ask, but—"

Dante gently pushed her from him, placing his hands gently on her shoulders. "No, it's not. I love the kid as if he were my own." He was surprised by his own honesty, but continued on. "I'll bring him back, Kyrie. I promise you that. Whoever took Nero…I hope they've made peace with themselves; they want a fight? I'm bringing it to them."

Getting to his feet, he made his way over to the antique phone on his desk, and began dialing.

Kyrie remained in the same position she'd taken while hugging Dante, kneeling in front of the armchair, confusion written all over her face. "What are you doing?"

"Calling Trish and Lady," he explained, holding the receiver to his ear. "I want them to stay here with you. I don't know how long I'll be gone; I don't want anyone else being taken hostage while I'm away."

There was a click on the other end.

"Hello?"

"Hey Trish…I need a favour; it's really important. Can you call Lady? I need both of you at the _Devil May Cry_."

There was a sharp intake of breath on the other side, the demoness' voice taking on a serious edge. "Sure, we'll be right there." With that, she hung up.

Returning the receiver to the hook of the phone, Dante let out a relieved sigh. He was glad Trish hadn't required more of an explanation; the longer they took, the worse things would be for Nero. A moment longer in the Demon Realm would feel like an eternity…he couldn't let that happen to the kid; not after everything he'd already been through.

Returning to Kyrie's side, he pulled her to her feet, and hugged her tightly. "They'll be here soon, okay? As soon as they come through those doors, I'm going to find him."

Kyrie rested her head against his chest, her shoulders quaking as she fought to control her tears. "How will you know where to look?"

"I came across a weak portal tonight, just on the other side of town." He explained. "I was actually coming back here to grab Rebellion; with it, I can either close it, or force my way through to the other side. I guess I know now which one I'll have to do first…"

Kyrie hugged him tightly, her eyes locking with his. "Thank you…"

The double doors banged open, rebounding off of the walls as Trish and Lady strode into the establishment. Kyrie and Dante looked up at the same time, the half devil disengaging from her as he set about gathering up his equipment.

Both women came to Kyrie's side, easing her into the armchair as tears began spilling from her eyes once again.

"Just try to relax," Trish soothed, "whatever has happened to Nero, Dante will take care of things, okay?" She stroked the younger woman's hair comfortingly, as Lady went about getting her another cup of tea.

Securing Rebellion to his back, Dante cast a glance their way. "Keep her safe."

"We're on it." Lady replied with a nod, her expression serious. "Be careful."

With that, Dante made his way out into the chilly night, the promise of swift vengeance glinting in his eyes.

* * *

The moment he set foot in the Demon Realm, he was assaulted with the scent of suffering and decay, intermingling with the scent of ash and brimstone.

_Hmm…this area looks familiar. _Whatever section of the Demon Realm he was in, it was drab. The earth beneath his feet was soft and grey, a cold fog settling over the entire area. In the distance, he could make out a crumbling path dotted with crosses, each one bound with barbed-wire. Off to the right, a blackened forest, the trees and bushes scraggly and dry.

_I've definitely been here, before. _He mused, his finger lightly stroking the trigger of Ebony. It had been here, in fact, that he'd fought Sid; here, where he'd been impaled with his own sword upon one of the crosses; here, where Patty had come to save him nearly four years earlier.

Now, it was the path he had to take to get to whatever section of the Demon Realm Nero was in. He didn't know why this particular dimension appeared as it did, or even what its function was; the only thing he was certain of was as long as he followed the path, he'd eventually find the younger hunter.

_Better get started, then._

With gun and sword in hand, Dante cautiously made his way forward, his gaze sweeping from left to right, and back again, his ears pricking for the faintest of sounds. Feeling that the forest was likely his best bet, he made his way down the right path, deftly stepping over the tangled vines that littered the ground as he worked his way deeper into the dense foliage. Something snaked its way around his right ankle, creeping up around his knee. Looking down, he aimed Ebony at the vine, intent on shooting it.

The next thing he knew, he was hanging upside down, swinging back and forth like a pendulum.

_Great,_ He groaned inwardly. _I can just tell; this is going to be one hell of a party…_

* * *

God, he wanted to laugh…

Oh, did he _ever_ want to laugh! If not for the situation being as dire as it was-and if not for his lack of breath-he would have; the sheer absurdity of being killed by the vines binding him was almost comical, in a twisted sort of way. In a matter of seconds, they had gone from snaking up his leg, to covering his entire body, another set twisting their way around his arms, holding him in an upside-down crucifix position.

To make matters worse, a pack of demons stood about five feet below him, all eager to get their claws on him. His thoughts wandered to Nero; what was the kid going through, right now? Was it anything like this…or was it worse?

Gritting his teeth, Dante let his demonic power flow, the energy thrumming and pulsing through each limb. With an outward burst, he devil triggered, rendering the vines to nothing more than shredded tendrils. With his right arm free, he cut away the remaining vines with Rebellion, and landed lightly on clawed feet, right in the centre of the group of demons thirsting for his blood.

Seeing his demonic form, many of them began to retreat. As impressive of a figure as he was any other time, his demonic form was even more so; the power he emanated would have brought the toughest of men to their knees in fright, so it was no surprise when the mixture of Scarecrows and Sin Scissors scattered.

"Oh no, you don't…" he growled, his red and black armoured body radiating with intense heat, spreading from his chest into the rest of his limbs.

Energy crackled all over his form, the demons drawing back with cries of fright. Rushing forward, Dante began hacking and slashing, severing the limbs of his enemies, their blood staining the forest floor. His movements were quick and precise, so much so that the lesser demons didn't have a chance to retaliate with attacks of their own.

Within mere moments, nothing was left of them, but smoldering heaps of flesh, the embers being carried away by a sudden gust of wind.

Just as suddenly as it had come, his demonic form receded, the half devil deciding it was best to save his energy for a much bigger fight.

As he continued through the dark woods, a swirling blue vortex appeared before him. Sensing that it would bring him closer to finding Nero, Dante jumped through it, shutting his eyes at the nauseating sensation of being pushed and pulled in too many directions at once.

Once his feet firmly hit ground, he opened his eyes, and scanned the area. The ground was marbled with traces of black and white, the sky an eerie blood-red above him. The air seemed to thrum with electricity, smelling strongly of O-zone. Very little made up the landscape here; sharp rock formations jutted out of the ground on either side of a sandy path, black vapour wafting up from geysers that scattered along the way.

Keeping his senses as sharp as possible, Dante made his way down the path, taking note of a large, dilapidated building at the far end of it.

Heaving a sigh, he quickened his steps, knowing full well that another horde of demons awaited him.

_Hell, with any luck, maybe I can get some answers out of these ones…if not, at the very least I can have some fun while I'm here._

* * *

The four Hell Vanguards inside of the building proved no more of a challenge than the group of Sin Scissors and Scarecrows had; if not for the fact that he'd managed to extract information from the last one standing-as he held Ebony and Ivory to either side of its head-the whole endeavour would have been a complete waste of time.

"So, Nero was captured by a powerful demon general named Cilas." he murmured to himself, idly scratching his chin with Ivory's barrel. "Well whoever he is, he had better ready his army."

Casting a surreptitious glance around the dim room, his eyes flitted over the rotting wooden beams, taking note of the charred marks scarring the floor, and the ceiling above. Obviously, this place had once been someone's home. Dante shook his head; who had been crazy enough to try and live in the Demon Realm-besides demons, that is? He could only assume that whoever it was, they had been at least part demon, and more than likely had been born here. Still, it would have been risky, to say the least.

Tearing his eyes away from the long-forgotten wreckage, he became aware of a distortion in the air just to his left. Crackling to life, another portal opened, causing the half devil's pupils to contract from the intensity of it.

It seemed whoever this Cilas character was, he was making it as easy as possible for the devil hunter to find him.

_I suppose if I was trying to convince someone to forfeit their power to me, I'd make it as convenient as possible for them to find me, too. _Dante reasoned, stepping closer to the glowing portal. _Well, if he thinks I'm going to surrender to him, he's in for one hell of a surprise._

* * *

"So, you've finally made it, son of Sparda."

As soon as Dante's feet hit ground, his ears were greeted by a rich, unfamiliar baritone. Turning around, he took in the impressive demon general before him. Casually resting Ivory over his right shoulder, he began scanning his memory.

Looking at the tall, muscular figure clad in black and gold armour, the red-clad hunter surmised that he had never met this particular devil before; a demon like this would stand out in a crowd.

"You must be Cilas." Dante replied, his blue eyes boring into violet ones.

The demon gifted him with a sneer, his dark grey lips pulling back to reveal a pair of very sharp fangs. "Are you ready to surrender your power and will to me, son of Sparda? I must admit, you came much more readily than I expected. Could it be because I have something of value to you…or should I say, 'someone'?"

His helmed head tilted to one side, indicating the white-haired youth hanging from his wrists several feet in the air, the chains pulled taut, secured to two large metal poles in the ground.

Nero's sapphire eyes met Dante's, the younger man looking to be both exhausted and in agony from his ordeal. Several small cuts riddled the youth's face, a deep gash running from the inside of his left elbow to the palm of his hand. His clothes were tattered in several places; deep, bloody welts visible beneath the torn clothing.

"You alright, kid?" Dante called up to him, his voice coming out gruff as he fought back the fury rising in his chest.

"Never been better…" the younger man grinned weakly at him, before succumbing to a fit of coughing, blood staining his pale lips.

Returning his deadly gaze to the demon general, Dante grabbed Rebellion from his back, holding the claymore steady in front of him.

"You wanted me, here I am." He ground out between clenched teeth. "If you want me to surrender my power to you, you have to beat me first. If you do that, you set Nero free, and I'll do whatever you want. If I win, you surrender _your_ power to me."

Cilas stared at Dante for a long moment, frowning as he mulled the half devil's proposition over. "Alright," he agreed finally, "I'll spare the boy's life; taking yours will be much more satisfactory."

"I'll just bet..." Dante sneered at him humourlessly; he was getting pretty damn tired of the Demon Realm's grudge against his father, and all of those who just so happened to carry his bloodline.

Cilas drew his own sword, the blade longer and even wider than that of Rebellion; the hilt was black, taking the form of two large bat wings. The handle looked like thorns spiralling upward, until it reached the pommel, where a black bat head with emerald-encrusted eyes sat; the fanged jaws agape. The blade itself somewhat resembled Rebellion, in that it tapered into identical notches just before the broad tip.

"Whenever you're ready, son of Sparda..."

Dante crouched into a defensive stance, stashing Ivory away as he held Rebellion in both hands.

"Your move, General." The devil hunter countered, a predatory grin tugging at his lips.

With that, Cilas lunged forward, and the battle began.

* * *

The air rang with the sounds of steel-on-steel as the two blades clashed again and again, neither the devil hunter nor the demon general giving in. Cilas stood about a foot taller than Dante, but this didn't matter to the red-clad warrior. No matter the size of his opponent, he was determined to take him down. After all, he'd fought much bigger adversaries than this.

_Phantom, Berial, Dagon, Cerberus; just to name a few… _He smirked to himself, thrusting his sword forward. Cilas' blade met Rebellion, causing the half devil to draw back slightly, holding the claymore defensively as the general went for a downward slash.

"You're as strong as I'd heard." Cilas hissed between clenched teeth, leaping backward as Dante swept Rebellion horizontally in an attempt to slash his opponent's midsection.

"Flattery will get you nowhere." Dante retorted, his own teeth bared as their weapons locked again.

Cilas grinned wickedly at him, the devil hunter narrowing his eyes in suspicion. Before he knew what was happening, his legs were knocked out from under him, and he landed hard on his back; his chest exploded with searing pain, the demon general pinning him to the earth with his sword. Letting out a strangled cough, Dante peered up at him, the large devil swimming in his vision. Distantly, he could hear Nero's anguished cry mixing with the general's maniacal laughter.

And then, everything faded to black, the half devil losing all consciousness…

* * *

"_Wake up…wake up, you fool!"_

_Dante opened his eyes, his gaze drifting lazily over the expanse of white nothingness he seemed to be floating in. That voice…_

_Turning, the devil hunter made a choked sound in the back of his throat, his eyes widening in surprise. Floating in front of him was his very likeness, only clad in blue, clean-shaven, and with his hair swept back. No, it couldn't be…_

"_Vergil?" His voice sounded feeble to his own ears, the lump in his throat seeming to grow._

"_Yes brother, it is I." His twin replied, his voice solemn._

"_Where…where are we…am I dead?" Dante asked._

"_I'm afraid so," Vergil answered, "it seems your opponent pierced your heart."_

"_Then that means…Nero…" Sorrow filled the half devil at the thought of what would become of the youth. Now that he had been defeated, Cilas was bound to renege on their agreement…_

"_Yes, as you are floating here in this place of nothingness, your young protégé is at the mercy of that demon general." Vergil confirmed in a dispassionate voice._

"_No…" Dante choked out, his head sagging. He had failed both Nero and Kyrie this time; and now that he wasn't around, he wondered how long Lady and Trish would be able to protect the Human World without him. They were strong and capable, he knew this; but even they would have admitted that the human race would have fared much worse than it had by now, if not for him._

"_You weren't meant to die, not yet." Vergil's voice snapped him out of his tortured thoughts, Dante looking up at his brother through glassy eyes._

"_Vergil…now that I'm here, I just wanted to say…I am so—"_

_Vergil held up a hand, his expression relaxing. "There's no need for that, dear brother. I'm the one who should be apologizing. What happened to me after facing Mundus was not your fault…you set me free. I could never ask for more than that."_

_Dante turned his head at this, tears pricking at the corners of his eyes, threatening to flow down his cheeks._

"_I didn't realize it was you until it was too late…" He whispered, a solitary tear running down the length of his nose as he bowed his head forward._

"_None of that matters anymore, Dante." Suddenly Vergil's hand was on his shoulder, squeezing it firmly. Cobalt blue eyes stared into his, his twin's expression the kindest he'd seen it since childhood._

"_I don't understand…" Dante gripped Vergil's arm in return, desperate to remain connected to the brother he'd lost._

"_As I said, brother; you weren't meant to die yet." Vergil's grip of his shoulder tightened painfully, a mixture of sadness and contentment in his eyes. "He's calling to you…"_

_Dante looked at his brother in bewilderment. "Who's calling me? You mean Nero?"_

_His vision began to blur, Vergil appearing as a mirage to his eyes. "Yes…now go save him, brother. When it's your time, we will meet again…"_

"_No, wait…Vergil!" Dante cried hoarsely. "I need to know…is he your son?"_

_Vergil only smiled back at him as he faded away, Dante succumbing to numbness as everything became dark once again._

* * *

Dante awoke to the sound of a whip cracking, followed by an agonized cry.

"Since the son of Sparda died before I could collect his soul, I guess you'll just have to do." Cilas growled, malice dripping from his words as the whip cracked again.

The devil hunter opened his eyes slowly, aware of a dull ache pulsating through his chest. Glancing down, he noticed that the sword was no longer in him; the deep, blood-soaked wound already starting to heal. Peering from beneath his lashes, Dante could see Nero, still bound in chains, the demon general standing below him, coiled whip in hand, his back to the devil hunter. Dante slowly reached for Rebellion, the sword a few inches from the fingertips of his right hand. At the same time, he quietly unclipped Ebony from its holster, and rolled onto his side, getting up on one knee.

Shooting the general's left hand, he grinned when the whip hit the ground, the demon letting out a howl of pain from the bullet that was imbedded deep within the back of his hand.

"You…!" He whirled around, snarling. "You're supposed to be dead!"

"Apparently not," Dante got to his feet, both of his weapons at the ready. "We've got a fight to finish; believe you me, your punishment has just gone up ten-fold for what you've done to the kid."

Cilas roared at this, the demon general rushing forward with his sword raised, his mouth twisting into an ugly snarl.

Aiming Ebony, Dante slid his finger over the trigger. "And jackpot…" He pulled it then, the loud bang of the pistol echoing all around, sounding like a cacophony of gunshots.

Cilas recoiled from the shot, blood spurting from where his nose used to be. An inhuman shriek tore from his throat, drowning out the fading sounds of Ebony's shot.

"If you were hoping for a painless death, you picked a fight with the wrong guy." Dante growled, his demonic side coming to the surface with a burst of power. "It's time to finish this…"

Fully armoured and ready, the half devil lunged forward, his blade quickly slicing up and down, back and forth, and finally, thrusting forward, right through Cilas' chest.

"Well, that was disappointing." Dante remarked, returning to his original form with a sigh. Cilas gaped back at him, blood trickling from the corners of his mouth, his eyes wide with shock.

"You know what, forget it; I don't even want your power." Dante said in disgust, as the general slumped forward on the claymore. "You're not even worth my time; go to hell. It's where you belong."

With a final gasp, Cilas' body went limp. Dante pulled his sword out, flicking the blood off of the long blade before returning it to its place on his back. The demon general's body hit the ground with an audible thud, immediately turning to cinders. Dante turned to look at Nero, his red coat swishing around behind him as he moved forward.

Most of the part devil's wounds had already begun to heal, but the youth looked drained, his perspiring face tinged with grey.

"Hang in there kid." Dante murmured, reaching for the slack part of the chain that hung from the right pole. "I'll get you down in no time."

Carefully unwinding the chain from the pulley system it was on, he held fast to it, and made his way over to the other pole, loosening the left chain. Releasing them both at the same time, he watched as Nero fell, catching the youth in his outstretched arms before he could hit the ground.

Lowering him to his feet, he held fast to Nero's left hand with his own, keeping the youth's arm draped over his shoulder as he wrapped his right arm around his ribs, supporting beneath the part devil's right shoulder.

"C'mon kid, stay with me." He murmured, as Nero's eyes began to droop wearily.

"I'm sorry…I was careless…"

"You have nothing to apologize for." Dante declared softly. "Can you walk?"

Nero winced slightly, "Yeah…it's just these welts. It's like there's something in that whip that keeps me from healing as fast as I usually would…"

"Considering where we are, that wouldn't surprise me in the slightest." Dante replied grimly, gingerly making his way forward with the youth. "Don't worry, kid. When we get back, we'll get you patched up."

"How did you know where to find me?" Nero asked as he shuffled forward, teeth gritting with the effort.

"Kyrie."

Nero looked at Dante in alarm, the elder hunter giving him a lopsided grin.

"Don't worry kid, she's fine. She came to my office when she realized what happened to you. Trish and Lady are with her right now."

The younger hunter let out a strangled sound, his worried expression melting into one of relief.

Dante came to a stop next to a large dead tree, gently setting the youth down at the base of it.

"What are you doing?" Nero asked, leaning his head back, his eyes closed.

"There's a portal back to the Human World around here somewhere," Dante replied, closing his own eyes as he attempted to locate it via his demonic senses. Feeling a mass of energy coming from approximately fifty feet away, he opened his eyes, his enhanced vision picking up the subtle undulation of energy that marked the portal.

"Let's go, kid." He pulled the youth to his feet, supporting him as he had before. "We'll be home before you know it."

"Good," Nero murmured, "I've had enough of this place for a lifetime, anyway…"

* * *

By the time the two white-haired men had made it to the steps of the _Devil May Cry_, most of Nero's wounds had fully healed. The few that remained required a good night's sleep, and that's what Dante was going to let the kid do…even if he had to encourage him to do it at gunpoint.

So far though, the younger man had done nothing to support the theory that he'd put up a fight as he usually would; looking at him, the half devil had a pretty good idea as to why.

_I don't think I've ever seen him this done in._ Dante mused, frowning slightly. He was so used to a spirited, hot-headed Nero, that it hadn't occurred to him the kid _could_ become worn out; at least not to this degree.

As they both stared silently up at the double doors, the elder hunter was surprised when Nero broke down. The youth's gaze dropped to the pavement, unable to meet Dante's bewildered expression.

"I just wanted to thank you…you know, for coming after me. I don't know how much longer I could have lasted…" Tears flowed freely from his eyes, a look of shame on the younger man's face.

Dante placed a hand on his shoulder. "You don't have to thank me kid, really."

"You almost died because of me…"

"And I've almost died because of my own recklessness." Dante countered, squeezing Nero's shoulder. "It's kind of a condition of the job, kid." He let out a soft chuckle, the youth glancing up at him with sad eyes.

"But I…"

Dante pulled him into a tight hug, silencing him through astonishment alone. "Enough of that; there is nothing for you to be sorry about. I'd do it for you all over again if I had to, kid. So no more regrets, okay?"

He pushed Nero from him, both hands on his shoulders as he stared him dead in the eye. The younger man finally caved, nodding his head slowly.

"Good," Dante clapped him on the back, "now let's say we get you inside, before the ladies have a complete melt down."

Nero managed to chuckle at this, wiping the last of the tears from his eyes.

Without another word, the two headed up the steps and opened the double doors, greeted by the sound of relieved feminine voices.


	33. Chapter 33: Lessons

**Hello, everyone! Sorry for the slight delay; it seems I've run into yet another one of "those" chapters. You know the ones I mean; the ones that you're originally excited by the prospect of while planning it, but once you start writing it, it just doesn't go as smoothly as you'd like. Either way, I hope I did alright with this one. This one involves Patty receiving training from the devil hunters. As always, I'd like to thank everyone for their reviews and anyone who's added this to their favourites; please R&R. :)**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Devil May Cry, or the characters. They are the property of Capcom. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes only, and is non-profit.**

* * *

_**Lessons**_

"Bang…" the teenaged girl's eyes went wide as she froze midstride; the barrel of the revolver coming to rest at her temple. "You're dead."

Shoulders drooping, Patty let out an exasperated groan, dropping her own weapon at her opponent's feet.

"Come on, Patty." Nero chided, the white-haired man bending over to pick up the gun. "We've been working on this for the last two hours; always check your blind spots."

Dante leaned up against a tree, the red-clad hunter's arms folded over his chest, one foot braced against the trunk as he watched the exchange.

"If they're my blind spots," Patty ground out between clenched teeth, "then how exactly am I supposed to _check_ them?"

Nero stared hard at her for a moment, his blue eyes flashing as he fought to control his own irritation. After a moment, he shrugged, and turned on his heel. "You know what? Forget it; if you're going to give me attitude, Dante can train you on firearms from here on out."

The half devil quirked an eyebrow at this, watching as the fifteen-year-old hastened to rectify the mistake she'd made. Clearly she remembered what happened the last time Dante had tried to train her with guns…

Patty grabbed Nero's shoulder, the younger hunter halting in his tracks with his back still turned to her. Dante could make out the faintest of smirks on the part devil's face; clearly a reverse psychology ploy was in play.

"Nero…wait-" Patty hung her head, her sapphire eyes dropping to the dry leaves strewn across the forest floor. "I'm sorry…I'll do it your way."

Nero turned, his smirk replaced with a look of indifference. Putting his hands in his pockets, he cocked his head at her, his mouth forming a grim line. "You know, we didn't have to start training you this soon; hell, we didn't have to start training you, _period_. You've promised to co-operate the last three times that you've bitten my head off; give me one good reason why I should believe you, now."

Nero's eyes bore into hers, the blonde girl's expression a mixture of shame and wonderment; it was rare for the younger hunter to be so strict with her. Dante could practically read her mind; she respected Nero almost as much as she respected the elder half devil. She had merely forgotten herself in her moment of frustration, and now, it was clear that she regretted it.

As Patty stumbled over her words, Dante caught the younger hunter's eye. He rolled his eyes at him, and gesticulated with his left hand, careful not to let Patty see the movement. It was his way of saying, _'Come on, kid; cut her some slack.'_

Nero seemed to understand him, because he stopped Patty before she could apologize again.

"Okay, I get it; you're frustrated." Nero ran his left hand through his hair, heaving a sigh. "I know you're really trying, I do. I shouldn't have been so hard on you; it's just going to take some time, that's all."

"We've been working at this for weeks, now." Patty's voice was soft, her expression one of sadness. "When am I going to get it? Why can't I be a natural like you guys are?"

"Don't kick yourself over it." Dante stepped forward then, squeezing the teen's shoulder. "We've had years of experience, that's all."

"Yeah, Dante especially; what's it going on, like seventy years or so?" Nero joked, dodging as the half devil made to cuff the back of his head.

The comment had the desired effect though, as Patty let out a hearty laugh. "Oh, come on…Dante's not _that_ old." She slowly backed away from the red-clad hunter, a mischievous grin on her face. "You're only what, pushing fifty?"

Dante let out a playful growl, as both Nero and Patty continued laughing. "I'm _not_ old; but if you two keep this up…" he coiled himself, ready to pounce, "you won't be around long enough to even come _close_ to my level of experience!"

With that, he lunged forward, managing to put them in identical headlocks; the teen and part devil exchanged a long-suffering look from either side of Dante's broad chest, both letting out exasperated groans.

"Hmm…now what should I do with you two?" The half devil mused aloud; a grin stretching across his face as both of his captives feebly struggled against his grasp.

"On three…?" Patty asked Nero, both opting to ignore Dante's boastfulness.

The next thing Dante knew, both of his knees buckled under him, the teen and part devil wriggling out from under his arms as he attempted to catch himself. Before he could brace his hands out in front of him, he felt a particularly strong hand grab the back of his neck, pushing him face down into the rough earth.

Spitting up dirt, Dante got to his feet, brushing himself off as he narrowed his eyes at the duo.

"I see the close-quarters combat training with Lady and Trish is coming along." He remarked dryly, doing his best not to smirk at the giggling teen. "Of course, having an accomplice with a demonic arm doesn't hurt, either." He glared at Nero then, the younger man shrugging casually with a smug look on his face.

Making his way over to one of the many trees surrounding them, Dante picked up the two practice swords he'd brought with them; they were made of bamboo, to ensure that no one would actually sustain real injury. That wasn't to say they didn't hurt, though; it gave the trainee all the more reason to be more cautious, and learn from their mistakes.

"Well, now that you two are done picking on this _old_ man," He scoffed, "how about we continue with your swordsmanship training, Patty?"

Patty looked at Nero, grimacing. Dante only chuckled at this; not unlike his attempt to train her with guns, her experiences with Dante as her swordsman tutor involved more pain than she was used to. Of course, if he had held off on using the CO2 powered airsoft handguns on her that one time, things _might_ have been different. After all, as good as Nero was, Dante was the go-to-guy, when it came to firearms.

"Good luck." Nero grinned at the blonde girl, sliding down the trunk of a tree into a comfortable sitting position. "You're gonna need it."

"You're not helping." Patty narrowed her eyes at him, the younger hunter only shrugging his shoulders in return; with a sigh, she turned to Dante, her expression almost fearful.

He smirked at this, tossing one of the practice swords to her; his grin widened as she fumbled, finally holding fast to it. "Don't worry Patty; I'll go easy on you…_this_ time."

The devil hunter watched as Patty cast one last look at Nero, and took a steadying breath, the bamboo stick outstretched in both of her hands. "Okay, I'm ready…"

* * *

_Whack!_

"Ouch!"

_Whack, whack!_

"Okay, now you're just being a jerk on purpose."

"I am doing no such thing…"

_WHACK!_

"Ow! Dante!" Patty rubbed her sore wrist, wincing as she glowered at him.

Dante shrugged back at her, a charming smile lighting his face. "Hey, I'm just trying to teach you how to properly time blocking an attack; consider the pain a valuable teacher."

Patty steeled herself again, teeth clenched as she stared the devil hunter down. She held the bamboo sword in front of her, holding it as straight as she could.

"You ready to try again?" Dante asked, readying his own weapon as he shifted into a defensive stance.

Patty nodded in response, fiery determination burning in her eyes.

Smirking, Dante shifted on his toes, doing his best not to laugh when Patty flinched, expecting an attack. Just as the blonde couldn't refrain from blinking any longer, he lashed out with the bamboo weapon, performing a downward strike.

Bamboo met bamboo this time, Patty looking astonished when she finally managed to block her tutor's attack.

Dante straightened, giving the girl a genuine smile. "Well done; now you're getting it." He mussed her hair, the teen only scowling momentarily before grinning back at him. She was proud of herself, the half devil knew; it had taken a lot of hard work, and a great deal of constant vigilance on her part-and she'd finally succeeded. It was no simple task, given how fast Dante was; and despite his earlier assurances that he'd go easy on her, the half devil had made sure not to compromise his speed in the process. After all, if this had been a real fight, the enemy would not have shown her any mercy, whatsoever.

"You've made a lot of progress, Patty." He told her, idly settling the bamboo weapon on his shoulder.

Patty beamed at the praise, the teen panting still from the sparring practice.

Nero came forward with a smile, lightly resting his Devil Bringer on her shoulder. "He's right. You've really come a long way in the last five weeks. We'll just need to keep at it with the firearms work."

"But, I think we've done enough for today," Dante added, "let's say we head back to the office, and rustle up some grub?"

As if to emphasize this point, his stomach growled, the sound akin to that of a baby whale.

Both Nero and Patty laughed.

"Sounds good to me," The blonde agreed, "As long as it's not pizza again."

* * *

_One week later…_

Dante scanned the forest, his eyes adjusting to the fading light of day, as it merged into evening. Crouching on a thick branch of a large Maple tree, his ears perked up at the sound of a twig snapping just to his right.

_Ha, I've got you, now!_

Jumping down and landing lightly in a crouch, the half devil trained the barrels of both guns in the direction where he'd heard the sound, a startled Nero meeting his gaze with his own gun aimed at him.

"Shit, don't do that, old man." Nero whispered, his sapphire eyes flitting about the forest.

"We've been out here for an hour," Dante remarked, his eyes scanning as quickly as the younger man's, "Where the hell did she slip off to?"

Suddenly, a noise came from above them, and a blur of dark purple landed just in front of where they stood, two guns leveled at their foreheads.

"Bang, you're dead." Patty grinned up at both of the white-haired men, her hair and the collar of her blouse fluttering in the warm breeze.

Dante and Nero glanced at one another, their lips curling into similar rueful smiles.

"Would you look at that kid," Dante chuckled softly, "it looks like our little Patty is ready for her first test run now. What do you think?"

"As long as we can convince Lady and Trish of the same, I'm right there with you, old man."

Patty let out an excited squeal. "I just know Lady will agree," she gushed, her smile turning into an uncertain frown, "But Trish…she might say otherwise."

Dante clapped a hand on her shoulder, giving her a playful wink. "Oh, don't worry. I'm sure I can find a way to convince her."

_Though it's not going to be easy…_

* * *

_Two weeks later…_

It had taken quite a while to convince Trish that Patty was ready for her trial run; the teenager had spent half of her time reasoning with the demoness, and the other half continuing with all forms of her training, improving vastly with each time.

It wasn't until Dante assured her that they would use a small, weak horde for the girl to practice on-with all of them present to help her, of course-that Trish finally relented.

"Oh, alright…" Trish sighed, rubbing her temples with the first two fingers of both hands. "If it will put an end your incessant begging, we'll take her for her trial run."

"Yes! Oh, thank you Trish! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" The adolescent grabbed the she-devil in a tight hug, Trish nearly losing her balance in the process.

Though she tried to fight it, she smiled; Dante grinned smugly, peering at her from beneath a fringe of platinum-white hair.

"Oh, don't give me _that_ look." The demoness muttered, still smiling. "You were as worried as I was about this day coming, and you know it."

"Ah, but unlike you, once it was here, _I_ embraced it...whereas you've continued to balk for the last two weeks."

Trish smacked the half devil playfully on the shoulder, both of them turning their attention to Patty as she made her rounds, attacking Lady and Nero with gratitude.

"You…can let go…now…Patty…." Nero gasped as the blonde girl squeezed around his midsection with surprising strength. Lady giggled next to him, the female hunter having already endured the adolescent girl's overzealous appreciation.

Whirling around in a half excited dance, Patty looked at Dante and Trish, a generous smile upon her face. "I can't wait! When are we going out?"

Dante chuckled at this, the half devil putting his hands on his hips, shaking his head slowly in amusement. "Not just yet…" Patty's expression went from joyous to appalled, before he continued. "We have to pick out your weapons, first."

With that, Patty tackled him around the waist, chanting a continuous refrain of 'thank-you' before scurrying over to the far wall behind his desk. Her eyes roved over the assortment of weapons, her eyebrows knitting together in concentration.

"Are you sure she's ready for this?" Trish asked, her green-blue eyes meeting his.

"It's too late for that." Dante replied, folding his arms over his chest. "We'll be right there with her, Trish. She's not a little girl anymore; it's important that she's able to defend herself."

"Especially with her lineage to a powerful alchemist who once had control over various demons..." Lady pointed out, coming to stand beside them, Nero following suit.

"Let's not forget the fact that she hangs out with us." Nero added, watching intently as Patty went back and forth between the weapons.

"The kid's got a point," Dante chuckled, "and besides, Nina was all for this; if her mother is okay with this, then so am I."

The four hunters stood in companionable silence for a few more minutes, all eyes following the indecisive teenager as she picked up one gun, then another, and repeated the process with the assortment of blades.

_Though at this rate, _Dante mused, _it'll be the turn of the century, before she picks a damn weapon…_

* * *

It had taken a little more than an hour for the devil hunters to find just the right quarry for their hunter-in-training; once the teenaged girl had picked her weapons-a Beretta M9 and a simple modern sabre-they had made their way to the outskirts of town. After parking his car in a secluded area surrounded by large trees and brush, Dante had led the group down a ravine, crossing a narrow creek which ran into a heavily wooded area.

Overhead, the moon just shone through the canopy of leaves, a light breeze causing them to rustle in the otherwise eerie stillness of the night. The four experienced hunters took up defensive positions; two standing in front of Patty, while the other two stood in the back. If any of the lesser demons lurking in this particular forest were to spring a surprise attack on them, this would ensure the adolescent's safety.

"Trish, you take point." Dante whispered, lagging slightly behind the demoness to remain closer to Patty. He searched the forest, his eyes skimming passed every tree and bush, taking in every leaf, every insect that scurried among the plant stalks.

A familiar prickling sensation ran up the base of his spine, tingling at the back of his neck until the fine hairs stood on end. As if to confirm what he was feeling, he could hear the soft thrum of Nero's Devil Bringer, the demonic arm flashing blue to warn of an imminent threat.

"Lady, come with me." Trish called back to her friend, glancing over her shoulder as she did so. "This group is a little bigger than we thought it would be."

Lady stepped forward, her pistol and submachine gun at the ready. "Guess we'll have to take a few of them out first, before you can get any practice in." Her mismatched eyes met Patty's, the teenager nodding her understanding.

It did Dante good, to see the young girl taking the situation so seriously; though he supposed after all this time, he shouldn't be surprised. Patty knew the gravity of the situation, having been in the thick of such situations before. She wasn't about to throw a tantrum about it; not now, and certainly not at this age.

At the same time, he and Nero crept closer to the blonde, eyes flitting between her and their surroundings, firearms drawn.

Gunshots rang throughout the forest, occasionally punctuated by the unmistakable sizzling of lightning. After several minutes, both women returned, Trish casually flipping her hair over her shoulder.

"We've brought the group down to six demons," she reported, "two of them are Mega Scarecrows, so we'll have to keep an eye on them. Three of them are Hell Prides, and the last one is a Fallen."

"A Fallen, all the way out here…" Dante replied with a slight frown. "We'd better keep an eye on that one, too. Now remember, Patty; firearms work particularly well against those types. Only use your sword if you absolutely have to."

Patty nodded her head, her mouth forming a firm line as the hunters escorted her closer to the remaining demons.

"We'll be right here, watching you." Lady said reassuringly, resting her hand on the teenager's shoulder. "We won't let anything bad happen to you, okay?"

Patty nodded again, attempting to smile. From her pallor, Dante could tell she was more than just a little nervous.

Taking up their positions, Lady pulled herself up onto a low hanging branch, swinging Kalina-Ann from her back as she went into a crouch, resting the missile launcher across her thigh. Trish leapt into a neighbouring tree, scaling it to the top, where she'd have full view of the hunter trainee. Nero and Dante stayed on the ground, knowing that if Patty found herself overwhelmed, they'd be the fastest ones to get to her with swords in hand, while the women would use their firearms to help from afar.

Taking a deep breath, Patty made her way forward, clutching the Beretta in both hands, her sabre secured at her left hip.

The demons were ready for her, having just been attacked moments before by Lady and Trish. One of the Mega Scarecrows curled up tightly into a bladed ball, quickly spinning as it charged her down.

Dante almost rushed to her aid right then and there, but stopped; Patty had just dodged the large, bloated demon with such ease, he couldn't help but smile.

_It really looks like all that training has paid off, after all…_

* * *

The half devil continued to watch, ever vigilant in case the teenaged girl needed his help. So far, this didn't seem to be the case; Patty whirled around just as the Mega Scarecrow sped passed her, the demon coming to a halt as it dug its bladed front claws into the soft earth. Aiming her gun steadily, she pulled the trigger, flinching slightly at the recoil. She shot again and again, the lesser demon letting out a shrill sound that was a half-cackle, half-growl. Grabbing her sabre from her hip, she pulled the blade from its scabbard, and thrust it forward with her left hand, piercing the thick neck of her adversary.

The Mega Scarecrow deflated like a balloon as the Trypoxylus that made up its very essence scattered, the miniature demonic beetles disappearing under the cover of darkness.

Just as Patty wiped her brow with her forearm, the other Scarecrow took this opportunity to avenge its partner, whirling its bladed claws like a set of power sanders, before launching them at her.

At that moment, Dante rushed forward, scooping Patty up in his arms, eliciting a gasp of surprise; the devil hunter leapt out of the way as the blades sliced through the air, one of them nicking the tail of his coat.

Landing lithely, he set her back down again, his guns trained on the remaining demons. "Maybe Trish was right," He observed, a lump forming in his throat, "maybe you're not ready for this, yet."

"No, I am, really!" Patty insisted. "I'm sorry that I was careless; I won't make that mistake again, I promise!"

Dante cast a look at her before returning his gaze to the Fallen that weaved in and out of sight, the white demon wisping through tree trunks as it circled its prey.

"I'm not mad at you," He murmured, noting the look of relief that settled over her face, "Look, if you're not ready, it's no big deal. We can always try again, later."

"Please let me try again," Patty pleaded, "I know I can do this; I won't mess up this time, I swear."

"It's not about you messing up." Nero was suddenly at Dante's side, Blue Rose tracking the movements of the Hell Prides as they slowly straggled forward. "If anything bad happens to you, we're the ones that have failed, not you."

Patty's shoulders slumped; Dante knew she was crestfallen, but he knew it was for the best; they would just have to intensify her training to ensure she was better prepared next time. Still, he couldn't stand seeing her this miserable…

"Tell you what," he declared, shooting one of the Prides directly in the face, the demon nearly dropping its scythe in shock, "you can still fight right now-but we're going to be right here helping you, okay? Just think of it as an added precaution…"

He needn't have said more; Patty smiled gratefully at him, and pulled the trigger, the Beretta's chorus echoing all around them as it took the life of the Pride Dante had just shot seconds before.

"Thank you." Patty said, turning her gaze to the remaining demons. Her eyes tracked the Fallen, the demon becoming more emboldened as it circled closer to the group.

"Hey kid, why don't you take out those last two Hell Prides," Dante suggested, grinning at Nero, "Patty and I are going after that Fallen."

"You're the boss…" Nero replied with a smirk. Saying nothing more, the younger man raced forward, pulling Red Queen from his back, the blade revving before he started hacking at the unfortunate devils.

Dante chuckled at this, and motioned Patty to follow him, Rebellion in his left hand as he kept steady aim on the spectral demon with Ivory.

He rapidly fired at the Fallen, the demon protesting in anger with its ethereal voice. Having drawn its attention, the half devil kept going, weaving and rolling out of its way as it lashed out with its long blade.

Dante was pleased when Patty took advantage of this; seeing that he was using himself as a decoy, the blonde quickly moved forward, thrusting her sabre into the centre of the devil. It recoiled with another echoed cry, leaving itself open to the barrage Dante unloaded on it from the opposite side.

Just as Patty was about to strike with her sword again, Dante heard the distinctive sound of a large projectile speeding through the air.

_Goddamn it, Lady…you really need to work on your timing!_

Grabbing hold of Patty's hand, the half devil dove to the ground, his body partially covering hers as the missile made contact with the Fallen several feet above them. He felt the intense heat wash over him, thankfully followed by a soothing breeze.

"Cutting it a little bit close, aren't you?" Dante glared back at the female hunter still crouching in the tree a few yards away.

"Relax, Dante." Lady replied flippantly, "I knew it wouldn't hit either of you."

"While your faith in my abilities is flattering," Dante snorted, pulling Patty to her feet, "What happens on the day that my reflexes finally slow down?"

"By the time that happens," Trish cut in, leaping down from her position, "Patty will already have slain many demons on her own."

The she-devil touched his shoulder lightly, silently requesting that he let this particular argument with Lady go. The half devil only sighed, faintly aware of the last Pride's death cry at Nero's hands.

Looking back at Patty, he was surprised to see that she wasn't fazed in the slightest. "Hey, how come you don't look scared?" He quirked an eyebrow at her as he tucked his weapons away.

"Because I'm not," Patty smiled, "I trust Lady…and I trust you."

"Yeah well," He shifted uncomfortably, his face warming. "Remember, you won't be able to rely on me forever."

Patty placed a hand on his forearm, giving it a slight squeeze. "I know."

"Well, it looks like this training session has come to a close," Nero strode forward, the part devil twirling Blue Rose around his index finger before holstering the double-barreled revolver. "I don't know about you guys, but I could use a soft bed, right about now."

"I call the guest room!" Patty exclaimed, her arm comically shooting up into the air just like a student's.

Dante faced Nero, nonchalantly crossing his arms over his chest "Well, I guess that's too bad for you," he snickered, "It looks like you get the couch, since I'm not about to give up _my_ bed."

Nero grumbled under his breath at this, Lady and Trish succumbing to quiet laughter as they began their return to Dante's convertible.

All in all, the half devil had to admit; it had been a productive night.

_We'll just have to keep at it with her lessons,_ Dante thought, jumping over the same creek they'd crossed earlier. _If she came this far in only eight weeks, I wonder what we can expect after a few more…_


	34. Chapter 34: Sorry

**Greetings! This chapter came really easily to me, as it was an idea I'd been kicking around for quite awhile. Be prepared for a lot of father figure/uncle Dante fluff with Nero. This chapter showcases a major argument between the two, that gets blown way out of proportion. Things are said, lines are crossed...can these two white-haired devil hunters make peace? Or is it too late for apologies? Read to find out.**

**Oh, and as an added side note: Nero's moodiness, while not revealed in the chapter (slight oversight on my part...sorry, folks!) has to do with his sudden promotion in the newly formed Holy Knights in Fortuna. Because of said promotion, Nero has been swamped with work, dealing with far more politics than he's used to. His visit to the Devil May Cry office was suppose to ease some of this tension, but instead, it only seemed to add to it, thus leading to his crankier than usual attitude.**

**I will also admit that a few of the DMC stories I've read and liked somewhat inspired this particular chapter; that being said, inspiration is as far as it goes; I would never plagiarize someone else's work. :)**

**As always, a BIG thank you to my reviewers, for whom I am grateful find this collection to be worthy of their time. Please R&R. :)**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Devil May Cry, or the characters. They are the property of Capcom. This fanfiction is non-profit, and purely for entertainment purposes, only.**

* * *

_**Sorry**_

"What the hell is your problem today, kid?" Dante growled, gingerly picking up the framed picture of his mother, inspecting it for any cracks.

Nero only grumbled something unintelligible under his breath, refusing to meet the elder hunter's gaze. From what Dante could see of Nero's face, the younger man was developing a tick in his jaw, the muscles in his neck stretched taut, a vein at his temple throbbing rapidly. Nero was half turned away from him, his arms crossed tightly over his chest; the half devil was at a loss for how he wasn't having trouble breathing.

"The least you can do is apologize for knocking it over." Dante declared, placing the photograph back on the corner of his desk.

"It's just a damn picture…" Nero muttered, glaring back at the half devil.

Sitting on the couch, Kyrie and Trish fell silent, their discussion forgotten as an argument exploded between the white-haired men.

"'Just a damn picture'?!" Dante's hands came down fast on his desk, the sound seeming to fill the entire room.

"You're acting as if I've committed the most heinous of crimes." Nero said through clenched teeth, his hands balled into fists.

"That's not the point, kid." Dante hissed, "You've been in a bad mood all morning, and you're taking it out on me for absolutely no reason. If you wanna be pissed at me, fine! But don't take it out on my personal property in the process!"

"What, are you gonna tell me after all these years, you're still just a mama's boy?" Nero sneered, his expression humourless.

"Watch what you say, kid…" Dante growled, his eyes flashing dangerously. "Or are you just jealous that I _had_ a mother?"

"You asshole," Nero spat, coming around the desk to stand nose-to-nose with the elder hunter, his face flushed with anger. "How dare you even say that? You goddamn hypocrite, you were an orphan most of your life, too!"

"At least _my_ mom didn't dump me on someone else's doorstep when things got tough," Dante knew he shouldn't have said it, but he was far too angry to hold back, now. "She was brave enough to protect me to the very end."

For a second, Nero's expression became pained, Dante's stomach clenching in remorse. The moment passed, as the younger hunter drew himself up to his full height, though he still stood an inch shorter than the red-clad hunter.

"And remind me again why she had to do that? Oh yeah," Nero snarled, "It was because your _father_ bailed on you!"

"He was fighting in an on-going war!" Dante roared back, clenching his teeth as he forced himself not to physically lash out at the part devil in front of him.

"A lot of good that did him…" Nero snorted.

"Look, you little punk," Dante's tone hardened, "If you keep this up, you can expect an ass-whooping from me."

"I'd really like to see you try, old man."

"You forget yourself, kid. I've bested you once before, and I can do it again."

"Big deal; the last I checked, _I'm_ the one who put an end to all of Sanctus' 'Savior' bullshit, not you."

Dante scoffed at this, settling back on his heels with his fists on his hips. "And remind me again who sent Yamato your way, so that you could accomplish that?"

"That's ancient history," Nero retorted, baring his teeth. "Kind of like you."

"You're not half as tough as you think you are," Dante growled a warning, "I suggest you drop this now, before you make the biggest mistake of your life."

"Know what the biggest mistake of your life is, Dante? It was the day your mother sacrificed her life for you!" Nero looked as surprised and appalled by what had come out of his mouth as Dante felt.

The half devil breathed heavily for a moment, glaring at the younger man. Nero glared right back at him, subtle flickers of emotion passing over his face before he seemed to steel himself with angry resolve.

"Take it back…"

"Sure, when you take back all the shit you said to me…" Nero replied stubbornly, refusing to back down from the elder hunter as he towered over him threateningly.

"You've really gone beyond the pale this time, kid…get the hell out of my sight, before I do something we'll both regret."

"Okay, that's enough!" Both men were momentarily caught off-guard, Trish coming between them. Hearing a _snap_, they both looked down; a silver pair of handcuffs bound Dante's right hand to Nero's left. Both men glared at the demoness, sputtering their protests.

"There's no point in arguing about it," Trish admonished, "Even I can't get them off, now."

"Then why did you put them on us to begin with?" Dante said through clenched teeth.

Trish wasn't one to be easily intimidated, and she made that perfectly clear. She placed both hands on her hips, her blue-green eyes flashing angrily as she looked between the two of them.

"Because you two need to be taught a lesson," she explained. "They're enchanted; once you both prove to be sincerely remorseful for what you've said to one another, they'll come off on their own."

Kyrie came forward then, her amber eyes settling on Nero. "I'm really surprised at you, Nero." She spoke softly, but from the way the younger man cringed, it was clear that she was chiding him for his behaviour. "Dante has done a lot for us…how could you say all of those things to him?"

"Hey, what about all the stuff he said to me?" Nero protested, his mouth hanging open in disbelief.

Before Kyrie could reply, Trish cut in. "Listen up both of you, and listen good; you've both crossed some very distinct lines, here…all starting over some very petty things, I might add. But you are _going_ to make up." Her tone was firm, warning against further argument, "You are not throwing five years of friendship out the window over something like this. You're _family_, for crying out loud!"

It was clear the demoness was far beyond exasperated at this point. With a sigh, she placed a hand on Dante's shoulder, the half devil meeting her determined gaze. She was furious with him, but beneath that was a flicker of utmost affection.

_So, it's a lesson in tough-love, is it?_ He mused. He was still outraged at being in his current predicament, but he couldn't be too mad at Trish; she was doing what she thought was best, after all.

After a long moment, Trish strode across the room, gently taking Kyrie's hand in hers.

"Come on, Kyrie." She said in a gentle tone. "Let's head out for a bit, and leave these two to work out their issues."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" The red-haired woman cast a worried glance back at both men, both of them glaring daggers at one another as they tried to stand as far apart as possible.

Trish winked at her, the blonde she-devil coaxing her through the double doors. "Trust me, this is the only way; they need to hash it out without us interfering."

"Kind of late for that, don't you think?" Dante muttered, his gaze falling on the enchanted cuffs.

Trish made it a point to ignore him, the two women slipping through the doors before another word could be uttered.

As the door shut with a resounding _clang_, Dante heaved a sigh.

_Well, isn't this just peachy…I may as well be back in Devil's Prison. At least I was able to break out of that place._

Glancing cautiously at Nero, he noticed the younger man wasn't even looking at him. Judging by the stiffness of his jaw, he too was seething over their current predicament.

"Well, if we're going to be stuck together like this, I think a drink is in order." The half devil grabbed up the bottle of Jack Daniel's from the corner of his desk, and started making his way toward the couch; when the cuff dug into his wrist, he looked back at the younger man.

"I'm not any happier about this than you are," He sighed, "But can you at least co-operate? After all this crap, I just want to sit down with a drink in hand."

When Nero remained immobile, defiantly glaring at the half devil, Dante narrowed his eyes at him.

"Okay, let's put it this way, kid; you either walk with me over to that couch where we'll at least be somewhat comfortable-in which you can ignore me all you want, afterward-or I can drag you over there. And before you even _think_ you'll win that particular battle, I can tell you right now; you won't."

Nero glowered at him, letting out a snort. To Dante's surprise however, the younger man didn't put up any more of a fight, and began making his way over to the couch of his own volition.

_Good,_ Dante exhaled a sigh of relief, _at least that's one less inconvenience to deal with._

Both men sat down in silence, the handcuffs pulled tight as they tried to put some distance between them. Dante took a long pull from the bottle, savouring the burn as the alcohol trickled down his throat.

Sliding his eyes to his right, he noted that Nero's expression remained unchanged; the same scowl mixed with bitter resignation pinched his facial features, his eyebrows narrowed over his sapphire eyes.

Letting out a sigh, the red-clad half devil held the bottle of Jack out to the younger man. "Hey kid. Do you want some of this, or not?"

Nero didn't even bother to look at him; in fact, he did the exact opposite. He turned his head as far away from Dante as he could manage.

"Suit yourself." Dante muttered, taking another swig from the whiskey bottle.

_Well, isn't this day just off to a great start…_

* * *

**Nero's POV:**

Nero kept his gaze fixated on the wall to his right, clenching the fingers of his demonic arm as Dante's words echoed inside of his head.

"_Or are you just jealous that I had a mother?"_

"_At least my mom didn't dump me on someone else's doorstep..."_

An exasperated sigh blew from his lips, the younger man not even aware that he'd done it. When it really came down to it, Dante hadn't said overly much against him to begin with; sure, he'd been a complete asshole with some of it…

But, hadn't that been because Nero drew blood, first?

As angry as he was, the part devil couldn't quell the rising tide of guilt bubbling in the pit of his stomach, pulsing through his very veins, his chest constricting painfully. Pondering over his own words to the half devil, he began to feel even worse.

After everything Dante had done for him over the past five years, after everything they'd been through together…

Entrusting him with Yamato, the very sword that had once belonged to his brother; helping him refine his swordsmanship, eagerly agreeing to be his best man when he and Kyrie got married; coming to his aid when he was captured by a Demon General-with no regard for his own life…

A lump formed in Nero's throat. There were so many memories, both good and bad; and through it all, Dante had been there for him, making him laugh when he needed it most, helping him work out his aggression when things got tough…

And what had he done in return for the elder hunter's continued loyal camaraderie? He'd spat in his face.

"_Know what the biggest mistake of your life is, Dante? It was the day your mother sacrificed her life for you!"_

Nero ran his Devil Bringer over his face, lightly pinching the bridge of his nose between the clawed thumb and forefinger. He breathed deeply, trying to ease the tightness in his chest.

Casting a sidelong glance to his left, his eyes swept over Dante's face; the elder hunter's eyes were glazed as he stared straight ahead, his lips pressed firmly together until they turned white.

Nero knew that he had hurt him; Dante might be really good at holding his emotions in check, but the younger man had known him long enough to realize that he'd struck a fatal blow with his careless words. His stomach twisted painfully, his gaze dropping down to his lap.

All he wanted to do was make things right again; he'd cast his pride aside, if it meant Dante would forgive him. But, how could he, now?

Nero sighed again, closing his eyes as tears threatened to leak from behind his eyelids. He had gone too far, and he knew it. He wanted the half devil's forgiveness more than anything, now…but did he deserve it?

Somehow, Nero didn't think so.

He continued to stare into his lap, only vaguely aware of the droplets falling onto his pant legs.

* * *

Emotions cascaded throughout Dante's entire being, each one struggling for supremacy over the others. Wounds that were once faded scars had been ripped open, becoming painfully raw all over again. In all the time he'd known Nero, he had never been as mad at the kid as he was right now. But simmering beneath that white-hot anger was cold, isolating hurt; out of all the arguments they'd ever had, Nero had never inflicted this much damage before-and when the half devil really thought about it, neither had he.

His words had been every bit as callous as the part devil's; it was one thing for Nero to lose his cool, but Dante expected better from himself. He'd had more years to rein his temper in, after all.

And when all was said and done, had him going off as he had helped the situation at all?

No, it hadn't.

He suddenly became aware of a tremor travelling through his right arm, his gaze falling on the younger man beside him.

Nero's face was covered by his free hand, his shoulders shuddering with silent sobs as tears trickled from the corners of his eyes.

Dante's breath hitched in his throat, his eyes beginning to sting with tears of his own.

"Kid, I—"

Nero looked up sharply, startled by the elder hunter's voice. For a long moment, they stared at one another, Dante's heart thudding painfully against his ribcage.

Just when he was sure it would burst right out of his chest, Nero spoke up, his voice coming out a half-choked sob.

"I-I am so, so sorry old man..." Nero gulped several times, his tear-filled gaze pleading. "Dante...the things I said to you…I…I never should have…god…I know I don't deserve it, but can you ever—"

Dante cut him off, pulling the younger man into a tight hug; Nero continued to sob into his shoulder, his breath coming out in strangled gasps.

"I'm sorry too, kid." Dante's voice was hoarse, a single tear gliding down his cheek as he held Nero even tighter. "I shouldn't have jumped down your throat like I did; I shouldn't have—"

"I'm so sorry!" Nero's morose cry interrupted the elder hunter, his exclamation muffled, his fingers digging into the leather of Dante's coat as his body wracked with sobs. "I didn't mean a word of it, I swear…"

Dante swallowed several times, trying to calm his shaky breaths. "I know, kid…I didn't mean the things I said, either..."

He gently pushed Nero from him, the younger man swiping his nose on the back of his sleeve.

"I don't k-know why I said any of it…" He choked out, his expression anguished. "In all of the years that I've known you, you've never let me down, not once. You've been like…I don't know…an older brother…no, a father…to me…and then I said all of that _stupid_ shit to you…"

Nero broke down again, Dante grasping his right shoulder, patiently waiting for him to collect himself again as he struggled to keep his own tears in check.

"How can you ever forgive me?" Nero's voice came out small, his head hanging with shame.

"You're family, kid." Dante replied, his voice gruff. "There's not a damn thing I won't do for you."

Nero sniffled, managing to give Dante a weak smile. "Thanks…"

"Don't sweat it, kid." Dante clapped him on the shoulder, grinning broadly at the younger man, all traces of despair forgotten. "Now, how about that drink?"

Nero chuckled softly at this. "Sure, why not? We may as well, since we're going to be here awhi—"

He stopped mid-sentence, his blue eyes widening.

"Huh? What is it, ki—"

Dante trailed off; realization hit him as the words drifted from his lips. His ice-blue eyes mirrored Nero's, both white-haired men looking down at their wrists at the same time.

Sitting between them in the crevice of the couch cushions were the handcuffs, both sides unclasped.

"Huh," Dante said thoughtfully, "I wonder when they came off?"

He and Nero looked at one another, their eyebrows raised in a mixture of amusement and bewilderment. Something about the younger man's expression struck Dante as funny; the half devil began chuckling, the euphoria causing a chain reaction, as Nero began laughing, too. The next thing he knew, they were both doubled over, succumbing to a fit of raucous laughter.

"We should thank Trish, when she and Kyrie get back." Nero giggled, wiping a mirthful tear from his eye.

Dante chuckled, nodding his head in agreement. "But for now, I feel like celebrating."

"Fredi's?" Nero guessed, grinning wryly at the elder hunter.

"Fredi's."


	35. Chapter 35: Thrill

**I'm back! Sorry it took me so long between the last chapter and this one. This chapter is one of those weird ones for me; I half enjoyed writing it, and the other half is uncertain about it. Hopefully it's well received by all of you. As always, please R your input is always wanted and needed. :) I thank all of you who have reviewed so far and who continue to do so, and I also thank those of you who have added this to your favourites list. **

**This chapter has to do with Dante, Lady and Patty going to an amusement park; I won't say much more than that.**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Devil May Cry, or the characters; they are the property of Capcom. I merely write this for entertainment purposes; no profit is made from this.**

* * *

_**Thrill**_

"Well, we're here." Dante remarked, taking the tickets from the overly chipper attendant. "So, what do you want to do first?"

Patty took her ticket from him, her expression becoming one of contemplation, as her eyes took in the various sights. Next to her, Lady scanned the variety of game booths, her mismatched eyes lighting up when they fell on a shooting game.

The scent of fried foods wafted through the air, the sounds of laughter and screaming echoing all throughout the amusement park, brightly flashing lights drawing the eye to various thrill rides well beyond the main gate.

"Why don't we try that booth over there?" Lady suggested, pocketing her own ticket as she started making her way toward it, a look of longing on her face.

Patty smiled knowingly at the female hunter, nodding her head enthusiastically. "Sure, why not? I could use the practice, anyway."

Dante scoffed at this. "I don't think a game booth at the park is going to help you, there."

The blonde teenager only stuck her tongue out at him in response, the two following Lady as she led the way up to the counter.

"So, what are the rules?" Patty asked the booth manager.

The portly, balding man blew a large pink bubble with his gum, causing it to snap loudly before he answered. "You have to break thirty balloons in thirty seconds to win a prize."

Before Patty could reach for the pellet rifle, Dante placed one of the game tickets on the counter, and scooped the gun up, bracing the stock against his shoulder. "Piece of cake..." He muttered.

The booth manager held up a stop watch, and pressed the start button. "And…go!"

Dante took aim, his finger rapidly pulling on the trigger as he trailed the gun back and forth over the rows of balloons pinned into the booth's back wall.

When the booth manager hit 'stop', his mouth fell open, his eyes widening in amazement. Dante had managed to pop every last balloon; the half devil twirled the gun around his finger smugly, before putting it back on the counter.

"Well, unless I'm mistaken, I just took out ninety balloons." He drawled, eyes glinting. "So, what prize does that get me?"

The man looked at him, completely dumbstruck. Throwing his thumb over his shoulder, he indicated a shelf just behind him, laden with the largest plushies the booth had to offer.

"Well, pick one out." Dante stated, gesturing to the wide assortment with one gloved hand.

Patty beamed up at him, and turned to look at the prizes.

"Hmm…how about that one?" She pointed to a large stuffed polar bear with large, sad blue eyes.

"You heard the little lady," Dante told the man, "she'll have the bear."

The booth manager remained silent as he handed the bear to the adolescent girl, his expression still one of complete and utter bafflement.

As they walked away, Dante let out a soft chuckle, as he heard the man mutter under his breath, "What the hell does that guy do for a living?"

* * *

"You want to go on _that_ one?" Lady asked Patty; the brunette's eyes widened fearfully, Dante unable to keep from smirking.

"Oh, come on Lady." He scoffed, the female hunter scowling at him. "You've hunted and killed demons ten times bigger than you, and you fell from the Temen-Ni-Gru tower all those years ago…you don't mean to tell me that you're afraid of a little rollercoaster ride, do you?"

"That is not a _little_ rollercoaster ride," Lady countered, thrusting a finger in the direction of the swerving and looping track, "that is a speeding death trap!"

"Come on Lady, it'll be fine!" Patty insisted, tugging on one of the woman's gloved hands. "There's nothing to be afraid of; they run maintenance and performance tests on these things all the time…"

"And yet, you still hear about rollercoaster deaths…" Lady muttered, hesitantly following the teenaged girl into the line.

Dante only shook his head, trailing behind the two females; despite teasing her, he understood Lady's fear perfectly well. It wasn't so much the rollercoaster she was afraid of, and he knew it. It was the lack of control; Lady was used to having a certain level of control in whatever situation she faced. Throw her into the car of an intricate rollercoaster ride, and the ability to control the situation was _completely_ out of her hands.

As they drew closer and closer to the ticket attendant, Dante placed a hand on Lady's shoulder, her blue and red eyes meeting his as she cast him a bewildered look. "It'll be fine." He reassured her, giving her shoulder a light squeeze. "If anything goes wrong, I'll be right there beside you."

The female hunter's expression was inscrutable; Dante couldn't discern whether she was grateful, or whether she was annoyed with his assurance that he'd protect her.

_Heh…knowing Lady, it's probably both._

"Tickets, please." Dante watched as the brunette spun around, fumbling to give the ride attendant her ticket as Patty already made her way up to the platform.

Dante handed his ticket to the bored-looking teenaged boy, and followed behind Lady, both of them coming to a stop next to Patty.

"Lady, why don't you sit with me?" Patty offered, smiling kindly at the woman as she fidgeted with her pleated skirt.

"You guys take that car." Dante indicated, as he slid into the one behind it. "That way if anything happens, I'll be right behind you."

"See? We have nothing to worry about," Patty declared, "Dante will be right here if anything goes wrong…not to say that it will, because it won't." She added hastily, watching as Lady's eyes widened more than before.

Lady let out an exasperated groan, and finally settled into her seat, clipping her seatbelt harness tightly over her waist and shoulders. She tugged on it a few times to ensure it was secure, Patty sliding into the seat beside her.

Making sure his own harness was in place, Dante trained his eyes on the back of Lady's head, doing his best not to laugh at the almost imperceptible trembling of her shoulders.

As soon as everyone else was secured in their own seats, the hand railings of each car clicked down into place, allowing those who required a little more security to grip tightly to the metal bar, as the rollercoaster slowly made its way forward.

"You ready?" Dante called out to both Patty and Lady.

Patty looked over her shoulder at him, smiling excitedly as Lady only let out a stifled moan.

With that, the rollercoaster lurched forward, making the climb to the apex of the track, causing several of the other patrons to squeal in anticipation. Once it hit the apex, it sped downward, the half devil laughing as the wind rushed through his hair, Patty squealing and laughing in front of him, as Lady remained silent, clearly too scared to do anything.

As the rollercoaster swerved up and down, back and forth, Dante let out a wicked chuckle. When this was all over, there was no way he'd ever let Lady live this one down...

* * *

When the ride finally came to a stop, Lady sprang from her seat, a hand covering her mouth as she made her way to the end of the platform. Leaning over the guard railing, the brunette retched, Patty and Dante watching her, the blonde girl letting out a sympathetic moan.

"Poor Lady," She murmured, "I guess she really doesn't like rollercoasters, huh?"

"It looks that way." Dante replied, the half devil smirking as Lady's eyes met his.

"Not a word, Dante." She growled, wiping a hand over her face. "Not…a damn…word."

He only shrugged his shoulders in reply, the trio making their way passed the ride attendant; they weaved back into the busy throng of people heading to and fro from the many booths and rides surrounding them.

"So, what do you guys want to do next?" Dante asked when they came to a stop, his stomach growling as he caught a whiff of hot dogs cooking a few stands away.

Patty had obviously heard the grumbling of his stomach, for the blonde teenager laughed. "Yeah, I'm pretty hungry, too." She declared, "Let's get some hot dogs."

"None for me thanks." Lady winced, holding her still heaving stomach, her nose wrinkling at the scent of cooking meat.

"Are you sure," Patty asked, holding up her flowery purple wallet, "it's my treat…"

Lady nodded her head weakly. "You go ahead. I'm just going to rest for a minute…" The brunette made her way over to one of the many plastic benches that lined the walkway, settling down on it with her head between her knees.

Dante snickered, and turned to the blonde girl. "I'll take that offer."

"I kind of figured _you_ would." Patty teased. The adolescent led the way to the hot dog stand, and handed a ten-dollar bill to the grey-haired woman running it. "We'll take two jumbo dogs please, and two medium sodas."

As the middle-aged woman set to work on preparing their order, Dante leaned casually against the counter top, his eyes sweeping passed the crowds of people, and coming to rest on the cotton candy stand.

"Hey, how about some of that after our hot dogs?"

Patty's eyes followed the direction that the devil hunter pointed in, her lips pulling into a smile. "Sure; after all, a visit to the amusement park just wouldn't be complete without cotton candy!"

Dante laughed at this, taking hold of the soft drinks as the hot dog stand attendant handed their food to Patty.

He cast a playful grin at the blonde. "My thoughts exactly, little lady."

* * *

"A flume ride, huh?" Dante looked at the relatively short line leading to the ride. "No thanks, leather and water don't mix."

Patty pouted at this, her eyes meeting Lady's. "You'll come with me, right? It won't be anything like the rollercoaster; it's just a log ride…" She trailed off hopefully.

Lady sighed, hanging her head in resignation. "Oh, alright, I guess I can go with you."

"Be careful not to get too wet, or you'll have to walk home!" Dante called after them, laughing as Lady flipped him the bird. "Hey, don't get mad at me; it's not my fault my car has leather interior."

He continued to laugh as Lady muttered under her breath, the female hunter following Patty passed the vinyl rope and up the several stairs that led to the flume ride.

Leaning casually against the side of a vacant booth, the devil hunter watched in wry amusement, as the log ride Patty and Lady shared dipped down sharply, a large quantity of water splashing over the female hunter as the ride zipped down the water-filled chute.

When they exited the ride, he didn't even bother to stop himself from laughing; Lady was soaked from head to toe, her hair and clothes dripping steadily onto the pavement beneath her feet as she and the teen made their way over to him. By some twisted turn of events, Patty barely had a drop of water on her-and she'd been in the front seat!

Noticing that her blouse was see-through, Dante laughed even harder, earning a death glare, followed by a very solid punch to the shoulder from Lady.

"Well if you were hoping to enter a wet T-shirt competition," the half devil snickered, rubbing his shoulder, "I'd say you have a good chance of winning first prize."

Patty exchanged a look with Lady, the adolescent covering her mouth and letting out a muffled gasp.

Lady looked down, her face turning a very deep shade of crimson when she realized her red satin bra was visible beneath the thin wet garment covering her upper torso.

"You have _got_ to be kidding me…" She hissed between clenched teeth. She looked up at Dante, her blush deepening when she met his smirk.

"Don't just stand there, you big dumbass. Help me out, will you?"

Dante crossed his arms over his chest, his grin never faltering. "Ask me nicely, and I'll consider it…"

Patty groaned at this, shaking her head as she watched the exchange between both grown-ups.

"Help me out, and I won't lodge a bullet in that thick skull of yours," Lady replied silkily, giving the half devil her most sickeningly sweet smile, "is that _nicely_ enough for you?"

Dante snorted at this, his upper lip twitching in amusement as he stared at her. Heaving a melodramatic sigh, he threw his hands up in the air. "Well, I guess it'll have to do." Shrugging out of his coat, he draped the heavy red leather over Lady's shoulders, the female hunter gripping it tightly so that it covered as much of her chest as possible.

"Thanks…" she muttered, her gaze dropping under the intensity of his stare.

"Is that 'thanks', or is it 'thanks, how can I ever repay you?' Because if it's the latter," Dante chuckled when Lady glared at him, "I can think of a few ways…"

"You're disgusting, Dante." Patty declared, rolling her eyes.

"Don't push your luck." Lady told him at the same time, her eyes narrowing dangerously.

"Lighten up, babe." Dante winked at her, "I'm just messin' with you. So, what else should we do?"

The three stood rooted to the spot, uncertain as to what to do next. Dante cast a look around the park, watching as more of the lights turned on as the daylight faded into evening.

"Well, I don't know about you guys," Lady finally spoke up, shivering, "but I've had all the _fun_ I can handle today."

"My bear…" Patty gasped then, the blonde teen's eyes going wide. "I think I left it at the hot dog stand."

"Relax Patty; it's just a stuffed bear." Dante remarked, frowning at the morose expression on her face. "We'll just head back and look for it, alright?"

"It wasn't just a bear," Patty murmured, "_you_ won that for me…"

Dante let out a sigh. _Girls…man, they're so sentimental, sometimes._

"Alright, come on." He relented, leading the way with both females in tow. "If it's not there, I'll win you another one; how does that sound?"

Patty smiled up at him, and nodded. "Okay, it's a deal."

* * *

By some fortune, Patty's bear was right where she'd left it. This didn't stop Dante from returning to the shooting booth though; Lady and the half devil won the teenager two more stuffed animals. The two hunters turned it into a shooting competition, before the booth manager finally insisted in an exasperated tone that it was time to close up.

By this point, Lady began developing a case of the sniffles, her clothes still quite damp from her endeavour on the flume ride.

"Alright, I think it's time for us to head back." Dante said to Patty, grinning roguishly. "I think Lady's had enough of the amusement park for one day."

"One day," Lady scoffed, before letting out a sneeze. "Try for an entire year."

Dante chuckled at this. "Come on kiddo; I'll give you a ride home."

Patty nodded at him, stifling a yawn as she clutched her prizes to her chest, a black stuffed dog and brown and tan monkey sandwiching her polar bear.

They made their way passed the various booths and stands, most of them already locked up for the night. Once passed the main gate, Dante pulled his keys from his pants' pocket, and opened the front passenger door for Lady.

"You can stay in the guest room tonight if you want," he told her without his usual trace of humour, "If you're getting sick, we can pick you up some hot soup on the way, too."

Lady offered him one of her rare, genuine smiles, sniffling slightly as she slid into her seat, Dante's coat still draped over her shoulders.

"Sounds good to me." She replied, tilting her head back against the headrest and closing her eyes.

Making sure Patty was already buckled in, Dante slid into the driver's seat, the car purring to life as he turned the key in the ignition.

As he pulled out of the parking lot, the half devil had to admit, it was good to get out and do something ordinary every now and then; it really made a person appreciate their day-to-day lives that much more.

As the female hunter beside him succumbed to a fit of sneezes intermixed with cursing, Dante grinned to himself.

_Well, that seems to be Lady's case, anyway._


	36. Chapter 36: Stylish

**Hello everyone! I am so, so sorry that this took so long to update (it's been what? Five days? Well, that feels too long to me). Anyways, this chapter has gone through numerous title changes, and to be honest, I had absolutely no idea where I was going with it (this seems to be a reoccurring theme, here...). Hopefully, you all still enjoy it. Please R&R, to tell me what you really think.**

**Also, my next chapters *should* be quicker. Thanks to one of my reviewers, Satanic Park of Madness, I have a couple more ideas at my disposal. I won't say more than that right now, though; wouldn't want to spoil the fun.**

**Anyways...**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Devil May Cry; it, along with its characters, are the property of Capcom. This is a non-profit fanfiction, purely for entertainment purposes.**

* * *

_**Stylish**_

Dante heaved a sigh, giving the blonde a long-suffering look as he did so. When Trish had accepted the job for them from a well-to-do customer, this is _not_ what the half devil had in mind.

"So we're basically here to be glorified security guards? Is that it?" He asked incredulously, his bangs fluttering as he sighed again.

"Beggars can't be choosers." The demoness countered with a smile, absently tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Oh, I'm sure they can."

"Well then, they _shouldn't_." Trish amended. "Besides Dante, this job could be more exciting than you think."

"Unless there's something you're not telling me," Dante cast a bored look around the large room, "then I highly doubt it."

The task they'd been assigned was simple; all the two devil hunters had to do was make sure no one suspicious or dangerous entered City Hall, while it was in the middle of its fundraising event.

Taking in the chandeliered high ceilings, the large windows covered with maroon drapes, and the pleasant circular dining tables sitting atop a plush red and violet patterned carpet, Dante closed his eyes, and breathed deeply. For a place that was merely supposed to deal with municipal matters, it was a lot classier than he would have expected.

This particular room seemed to be the only one like this, however; Dante had noted as he and Trish patrolled the halls that the other rooms were typical, run-of-the-mill political chambers; all filled with moderate wood desks, benches, and the odd leather chair.

Allowing his eyes to drift over the formally dressed members of the counsel and civilians alike, the half devil had to conclude that this room must be solely for events such as this. Come to think of it, what was the event in the first place? Hadn't Trish mentioned something about a hospital?

_Ah, that's it! Sick Kids' hospital._ Dante shifted his weight from one foot to the other, shoving his gloved hands deep within the pockets of his leather trench coat.

"So why do they need to build another hospital?" He asked, his pale blue eyes sliding in Trish's direction.

"It seems that while we were away last week, a horde of demons destroyed the last one." Trish replied, frowning slightly. "I thought I had already told you about all of this?"

"You may have," Dante's mouth quirked into a grin, "but if I was uh…_reading_, you should know as well as anyone that I wasn't listening fully."

The she-devil smacked his shoulder, her expression a mixture of irritation and amusement.

"Honestly Dante, this is important. The demons are getting too bold again; every time we're away from the city, they wind up attacking another part of it."

With a sharp intake of breath, Dante levelled his gaze with Trish's, a chill of dread trailing down his spine as comprehension finally hit him. "Wait, you said they attacked a _children's_ hospital? Were there any casualties?"

The half devil couldn't say he was particularly _fond _of kids, but after all the time he had spent with Patty, and the various missions throughout the years that involved saving them, he'd developed something of a soft spot for the little buggers. They were helpless enough when healthy; if a hospital filled with fatally ill children was attacked…was there any hope that they'd all been protected? It was bad enough when a terrorist attacked places like that; but a horde of demons…

The look of irritation on Trish's face melted away; her full lips pulled into a soft smile, her green-blue eyes crinkling at the corners. "No, there weren't any casualties. Fortunately, the wing that was attacked was vacant at the time. When the staff realized what was going on, they initiated their evacuation protocol. It seems they got all of the children out in time."

Dante released the breath he hadn't even realized he'd been holding, and ran a hand over his face, relieved. Meeting the she-devil's gaze, he frowned. "Why attack a hospital for kids? What were they after?"

Trish shrugged, placing a hand on her hip as she cast a glance around the room. "No one knows. It could be any number of things; you know that better than I do."

Dante nodded. Yes, he knew; he knew all too well the atrocities demons were capable of.

The devils that had attacked could be running experiments on humans, using them for trade, or looking for the next helpless sacrifice for any number of demonic rituals they might be performing. It was doubtful the horde themselves would be responsible; chances were, they were merely the errand boys to a much bigger, much more _powerful_ devil.

"Let's say when this job is done, we look into that attack." His fierce gaze was met with Trish's, the blonde she-devil nodding, a wry grin tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"I'll take the lead on that one," She declared, her fingers lightly trailing over Luce's handgrip, the pistol holstered securely at her right hip. "I have a few connections that should be able to help us out…with the right amount of persuasion, of course."

Dante chuckled softly at the almost playful gleam in the demoness' eyes. He knew all too well the kind of _persuasion_ she had in mind.

Before he could respond, the room began to shake around them, all of the people assembled flying into a panic as the windows shattered on either side of the dining room. The far wall behind the podium exploded in a shower of drywall and concrete, Dante straining his eyes as he looked for movement beyond the thick veil of dust the explosion had created.

"Trish! Get these people out of here!" Dante shouted, taking long running strides toward the obliterated wall, grabbing Ebony and Ivory from his waist.

Trish gave a sharp nod in reply, and hastened to do as she was told; Dante knew that once the people were safe, she'd join him in the fire fight.

Coming to a halt, Dante grinned wryly as more than two dozen demons flooded through the opening they'd created.

_And what a fire fight it will be…_

* * *

_Mephisto? Check. Their big ugly master Faust? Double-check. Sargasso, Abyss, Enigmas, Fallen, Sin Scissors and Scythes, Dullahan, Vanguards, Wraths, Prides…_

Dante mentally rattled off the list of demons currently closing in around him; the red-clad warrior kept a wary eye on the more ethereal devils, as he paced slowly in the centre. It was clear they recognized him, for none of them hastened to attack, the assortment of red, green and violet eyes leering at him cautiously.

"So what, none of you feels like spewing the usual, 'At last, the son of Sparda' bull?" Dante remarked, his pistols levelled at opposite sides of the circling demons.

At this statement, the Enigmas began powering up their energy arrows, the one-eyed demonic statues seeming to glare at the half devil as they did.

Dante only smirked at this, and bounded into the air; the energy bolts rained down around him, striking the floor where he'd just been standing. Flipping upside down, Dante spun in the air, a rainstorm of bullets pelting down at his enemies.

The demons were galvanized into action, as several of their comrades were struck by the salvo of lead Dante ruthlessly unleashed upon them.

Gracefully arcing through the air, Dante grinned at the sweet, musical cries of his foes, blood squirting from their wounds as they desperately tried to land a hit on the devil hunter.

With a flying roundhouse, Dante destroyed one of the Enigmas, causing its stone limbs to scatter in every direction, the debris pelting any other demon that happened to be standing too close.

Landing on the balls of his feet, he swivelled around on the spot, his coat billowing around him as he brought his guns to bear on one of the Mephistos. The vaporous black demon recoiled from the stinging lead with an indignant shriek, lashing out defensively with its scythe-like tail.

Dante leapt backward, evading the attack while simultaneously unloading on the secondary Mephisto just to his right.

Just as the Faust was about to come to the aid of its subordinates with a deadly swipe of its red claws, there was a flash of blue light, the air crackling with energy as a bolt of lightning struck the Faust square in the chest.

The demon let out a hiss, and evaporated in a swirl of black smoke. Dante grinned wryly as he cast a glance over his shoulder.

"Did I miss anything?" Trish said smoothly, the demoness striding forward with Luce and Ombra in hand, joining the half devil.

"Not a thing, babe." Dante snickered. "You're right on schedule."

"Oh good," Trish replied with a grin of her own, "It would be a shame if you got to have all the fun, and I found myself only getting to clean up afterward."

"Hey, you know me." Dante shrugged, his eyes trained on the wary group of demons, along with his guns. "I always put the needs of the ladies, first."

Earning the laugh from her that he had been after, Dante dove to the side and rolled into a crouch, as one of the Vanguards lashed out with its massive scythe. Luckily Trish had also known the attack was coming, the she-devil jumping off to the side and peppering the reaper-like demon with lightning-infused shots.

"It's been so long since I had a night of dancing." She quipped, twirling elegantly around on her heels as she open fired on the rest of the demons assembled.

Dante chuckled at this, his own guns trailing back and forth as his finger rapidly squeezed the trigger, his hands glowing a deep red as he powered up his own shots with demonic energy.

Several of the Prides fell, their carcasses smoldering before turning to ash.

Blowing the smoke from both barrels, he then twirled Ebony and Ivory around his index fingers and secured them in their holsters. Reaching over his shoulder, he swept Rebellion down diagonally to meet the Abyss that rose from the floor in front of him, engulfed in flames. The blade struck against the fiery devil's scythe, the clash of metal reverberating throughout the large room. Pulling back, Dante twirled the sword behind him, and thrust it forward, the blade piercing the Abyss' stomach; Dante twisted Rebellion with a devilish gleam in his eyes, grunting as he pulled it out with a flourish.

"Well in that case," He declared with a playful grin, flicking the blood from his blade, "shall we waltz, my dear?"

The she-devil gave a hearty laugh, the sound akin to the chiming of bells. She whirled around, sending a savage kick at a Sin Scissor with one stiletto while trailing gun fire on a Wrath laboriously making its way toward Dante.

Knowing an imminent explosion was coming, Dante leapt forward, rolling to the side while slashing the remaining Pride with his blade.

With the explosion came scorching heat, the half devil shielding his eyes from the orange glare with a satisfied grin. Trish couldn't have timed her shot better; the Wrath's explosion took out eight of the demons at once. This left the devil hunters with the groups of Sargasso, Fallen, Dullahan, and Abyss to take care of; a sole Enigma standing behind the others, its red eye wide with fear.

Dante laughed softly, his teeth gleaming as he returned Rebellion to its place on his back, twirling his twin pistols as he pulled them from their holsters. Trish sidled up next to him; Luce cocked against her hip while she rested Ombra over her left shoulder.

"Well since we're going to waltz," she declared, sharing a knowing smile with the half devil, "I believe it's custom that you take the lead."

"Why, I do believe that you're right, babe." Dante chortled, turning on his heel and shooting the Enigma directly in the eye. The demon shattered on the spot, the bolts of energy it had just been spinning dissipating along with it.

_Only twenty more to go…_

* * *

Dante grasped Trish's left hand with his own, the duo spinning around on the spot with their hands as their axis point, rapidly firing with Luce and Ivory.

"Switch!" Trish shouted, the duo disengaging to holster their respective pistols while pulling out Ebony and Ombra in unison. This time, their right hands were clasped together as they changed direction, both hunters laughing gleefully at the symphony of their dying enemies. Blood sprayed all around them like red rain, the demons dropping and vanishing like large, putrid flies.

Grinning, Dante picked Trish up, his hands placed on her hips as he tossed her into the air. The she-devil grabbed Luce from her hip, unloading the magazines of both pistols as she somersaulted above the remaining demons.

With Rebellion in hand, Dante raced forward, sweeping the sword left then right, plunging it forward, and finishing with a circular flourish. As the last devil let out a hideous death cry, the devil hunter returned Rebellion to his back, and leaned forward to catch Trish, the demoness landing in his arms bridal style.

She grasped him around his neck, giggling as Dante tipped her back, and placed a soft kiss upon her full red lips.

"Hmm…perhaps we should go dancing more often." Trish murmured against his lips.

The half devil let out a soft chuckle, and crushed his lips to hers hungrily, his heart quickening as heat pulsed through his body.

"Mmm…" Trish let out a moan of slight protest. "Dante, do you really think this is the time…or the place?"

"As long as it's with you, babe," Dante replied, "I couldn't care less where we are."

"As romantic as that sounds," Trish smiled wryly, gently retreating from further amorous attempts on his part, "I don't think our spectators are inclined to agree."

_Spectators?_

Dante straightened up, relinquishing his hold on the demoness as his eyes took in the small group of people standing several feet away from him. When had they come back in…and more importantly, why had they come back _now?_

_What the hell is wrong with these people? _He mentally griped, feeling heat creeping up his neck and into his cheeks. _What if there were still demons in here? What, do they _want_ to die? _

Clearing his throat, he glanced at Trish, the blonde giggling with a hand over her mouth.

"Lost yourself in the heat of the moment, baby?"

Dante gave her a sheepish grin, shrugging his shoulders apologetically. "You know how it is when I get into battle."

Trish smirked back at him, her eyes gleaming knowingly. "Shall we go somewhere more private?" She held out an arm, allowing the half devil to loop his through it.

With that, the two hunters made their way through the hole in the wall, deftly stepping over debris, neither one aware of the bewildered looks that followed their retreating steps.

_Tomorrow. _Dante assured himself. _We'll investigate the attack tomorrow..._


	37. Chapter 37: Spa

**Greetings, everyone! First of all, sorry! I took longer than I thought I would to put this chapter together; the typing itself took me most of today. The brainstorming was another matter. At any rate, I want to send a big thank you to Satanic Park of Madness; thank you so much for giving me the idea for this chapter. I hope it's up to your expectations. **

**As always, a big thank you for all of you who have reviewed this series so far, and for those of you who have added this to your favourites and are following it. Your support means a lot to me. ^_^ So thank you!**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Devil May Cry; it belongs to Capcom. This fanfiction is non-profit, and purely for entertainment only.**

* * *

_**Spa**_

"Ugh…I call dibs on the shower, first." Lady declared, as the three hunters made their way into the _Devil May Cry_ office, soaking wet from the rain and all chilled clear to the bone.

"Fine, but don't take too long," Trish wrinkled her nose in disgust as she wiped a trail of green slime from her upper arm, "I don't want to be covered in devil entrails any longer than I have to be."

"And don't use up all the hot water!" Dante hollered after the brunette, as she bounded up the staircase. Hearing the sharp _click_ of the bathroom door's lock, the half devil heaved a sigh, his gaze dropping to the hardwood floor.

A trail of water, blood, and other demonic bodily fluids trailed from the double doors to where he and Trish currently stood, the she-devil leaning casually against the mahogany desk as she continued to wipe as much of the slime from her leather pants as she could.

"What a night." Dante muttered, draping his red leather coat over the coat tree, before flopping down into the high-backed chair. Blood and rain coated his leather chaps and boots, the half devil letting out a grunt of disgust from the thick scent of blood permeating the room. He would have to make sure he used the leather treatment oil after he thoroughly cleaned his apparel.

Casting a glance at the demoness, he leaned back in his seat, folding his hands behind his head. "Trish, why don't you use the shower down here? I know it doesn't have all your moisturizing body washes or whatever, but it'll still do the job. You look tired, babe."

Trish gave him a slight smile and stood, running a hand through her rain drenched blonde locks. "Knowing how long Lady's going to be in the upstairs one, I have to agree with you." She squeezed his shoulder appreciatively as she strode passed, her high-heeled boots clicking loudly throughout the high-ceilinged room.

"You know where the towels are." Dante called after her, settling back into a comfortable position in his chair, his muddy boots propped up on the desk.

_What the hell; I have to clean the entire office, anyway…_ He reasoned, stifling a yawn. Wincing, he brought a hand to his jaw, rubbing it lightly with the tips of his fingers. Though most of his wounds from battle had already healed, the half devil had been experiencing a lot of tightness in his muscles as of late. What with all the demons he and the female hunters had been chasing after, it wasn't any wonder; they'd barely had half a night's rest in the past three weeks. His otherwise rapid regenerative capabilities barely had the chance to kick in, before he found himself rushing off to yet another battle.

Longing for a nice, long, hot shower himself, Dante snorted, and folded his arms over his chest. Lady and Trish were lucky he was such a gentleman when he wanted to be; being that this was _his_ place, he would have been well within his rights to have the first shower of the night.

_Especially after all of the devils I've put under this week…_ He yawned, stretching with a slight grunt as he managed to crack his back, and locked his fingers behind his head once again, his eyes drifting closed.

Just as he was considering taking a power nap, the upstairs bathroom door opened, Lady hollering down, "Hey! Bathroom's all yours!"

Getting to his feet, Dante shook his head as he made his way up the stairs. He managed a casual wave as he passed Lady on her way to the guest room, the half devil too tired to make his usual lewd remark about her being half naked in his presence.

Lady must have noticed this too, for she faltered in the doorway, her heterochromatic eyes narrowing in puzzlement. "Wow, you must be exhausted," she remarked, clutching the soft green towel around her, "usually you'd have a fat lip by now for making some smart-assed remark about meeting you in your room, or something…"

Dante chuckled softly at this, a wry grin twisting one corner of his mouth. "So are you saying if I did make said remark, you'd actually have the energy to punch me?"

Lady looked every bit as exhausted as he felt, and judging by the uncertain frown she wore, she probably _wouldn't_ have the energy necessary to effectively reprimand him.

_Though knowing her, she'd find it somehow, just to spite me._

Lady snickered, her eyes drooping wearily. "You may have a point, there." She conceded, though the half devil was given to wonder whether she was replying to his spoken or his unspoken statement; they'd known each other long enough, sometimes it was hard to tell.

Noticing that she was slightly unsteady on her feet, Dante waved dismissively at her. "I need a shower; get some sleep, Lady…while you can."

_Because judging by these past few weeks, we're all gonna need what little we can get._

Lady waved lazily back at him, shutting the bedroom door firmly with a soft, "Good night…"

Making his way into the bathroom, Dante cranked the hot water as high as it would go, and stepped into the porcelain tub, sighing blissfully at the pulsating function of the shower head, the hot water cascading down his battle-weary muscles, soothing them.

_I guess tomorrow will be another day…lather, rinse, repeat. _

He squeezed a dollop of spice-scented shampoo from the bottle, massaging it into his scalp vigorously as he breathed in its scent. Not that the devil hunter would ever admit it to anyone, but he found the fragrance soothing; it never ceased to amaze him how invigorating a simple shower could be after a long, hard day of demon hunting.

Little did he know that Trish was devising a plan while in the midst of her own shower; a plan that would greatly benefit all three battle-worn hunters…

* * *

"A spa…?" Dante stared at Trish as though she'd sprouted a second head, the demoness huffing impatiently with her hands planted on her hips.

"Yes Dante, a _spa_." She replied, her tone mocking as she pretended to be scandalized.

The half devil sat forward in his seat, interlocking his fingers as he propped his elbows up on the hard, polished surface of his desk. "You want me to go with you and Lady to some girly rejuvenation place?"

Trish's aqua eyes flashed, the blonde tossing her hair over her shoulder irritably as Lady snickered beside her.

"How very mature of you, Dante..." Trish rolled her eyes, placing her hands on the desk as she leaned forward.

Dante's eyes dropped to her ample bosom, barely concealed by the leather bustier the demoness wore.

Trish cleared her throat, bringing his gaze back up to her face, a faint smile tugging at the corners of her red lips. Lady only snorted, the brunette deciding to sit on the corner of the desk as she watched the exchange between her friends.

Taking a sip from the can of coffee in his hand, Dante smiled sheepishly at the she-devil, his pale blue eyes deepening to cobalt.

"After all of the work we've been doing, I think a trip to the spa is a great idea." The brunette murmured, her bicoloured eyes gleaming wistfully. "Especially the authentic hot springs…"

"Hot springs?" Dante sat upright, his interest suddenly piqued; he only vaguely noticed the smug grins of his allies, as he began fantasizing about sitting in a hot spring surrounded by beautiful women.

_Blondes, brunettes, red-heads, petite or voluptuous…I want them all!_

"Dante?"

Lady's voice broke him out of his musings, the half devil giving his head a shake. Glancing between the women, his eyes narrowed suspiciously at their knowing grins. "What?"

"What, indeed…" Trish stated dryly, quirking an eyebrow at him.

"You looked like you were taking a trip through fantasy land there, cowboy." Lady snickered, resting her chin in her right hand as she stared at him questioningly. "Why don't you tell us what you were thinking about?"

Doing his best to keep his expression impassive, the devil hunter leaned back in his chair, crossing his ankles as he propped his feet up on the desk. "I don't think that's any of your business, ladies."

He intertwined his fingers at the back of his head, his eyes closed as he tilted back. Returning to his fantasies of scantily clad women surrounding him in a bubbling pool of warm water, lined with candles under a full, silvery moon, the half devil was oblivious to the danger he was in-until his chair tipped over backward, depositing him on the floor in an undignified sprawl.

There was no question as to whom the guilty parties were; Trish and Lady surrendered to gales of laughter, the blonde and brunette leaning on one another for support.

He peered at them from beneath a fringe of snowy hair, unable to keep himself from smirking.

"On second thought, maybe a trip to the spa wouldn't be such a bad idea, after all."

* * *

_Later…_

Dante looked around the large room as he, Lady and Trish entered through the tinted glass doors. The reception area was bright thanks to the bay windows on both sides, along with the domed skylight overhead. The walls were painted a calming sage green, decorated with scenic artwork every few feet or so. In the centre stood the reception island, made up of a light tan marble with flecks of deep green and brown. A kindly looking middle-aged woman greeted the three hunters from behind the desk, her deep green eyes sparkling as she bustled around the island to hand them pamphlets.

"Welcome! Is this your first time here?" She beamed up at them, her bedazzled hands clasped together in front of her.

"Not ours," Lady answered with a smile, gesturing with her thumb to the half devil behind her, "but it is his."

"Oh, wonderful!" The portly woman exclaimed, the grey bun at the back of her head slowly coming undone as she nodded enthusiastically. "Why don't you take a seat in our waiting area? When you've decided on what treatment you'd like, come back up and see me, okay?"

Trish gave the receptionist their thanks, and the three headed over to the circular sitting area on the right side of the room. Plush, dark brown leather couches and armchairs lined this side of the room, all custom made to fit snugly against the rounded walls. In the centre was a small oval-shaped glass table with a stained glass vase of bamboo sitting in the middle of it. Sitting around the vase was a circle of decorate stones, most of which were dark and smooth. A stack of beauty and wellness magazines sat on one of the empty chairs, Dante shaking his head in revulsion when he caught sight of a Cosmopolitan.

Plunking down in one of the leather armchairs, Dante heaved a sigh, allowing his eyes to drift over the many plants adorning the room.

"Hey, this would be perfect for you, Dante!" The half devil glanced over at Lady, the female hunter tapping the centre of her pamphlet as she leaned closer to him.

"Fango therapy? What is that, exactly?" He inquired, taking the pamphlet from her despite having his own.

"It's a mud treatment, which is perfect for you." Lady snickered. "After all, you're used to getting dirty, right?"

"You're hysterical." Dante drawled, tossing the pamphlet back at her, the brunette deftly catching it between her index and middle fingers.

"It's not just a mud treatment," Trish explained, leaning back in her seat with one leg crossed over the other, "this one in particular uses heated, rejuvenating mud, which will help with any deep aches and pains you're experiencing."

"Hmm…" Dante murmured to himself, leafing through his own pamphlet. His neck and shoulders had been pretty stiff, lately…

"There's also deep tissue massage, exfoliating scrubs, acupuncture, and of course, the hot springs." Trish declared, her eyes gleaming when she caught Dante's eye.

"I'll pass on the exfoliating and acupuncture, thanks…" Dante smirked, getting to his feet. "But the rest sounds pretty damn good to me."

Lady and Trish exchanged a triumphant smile, and followed the half devil to the receptionist's desk; after all they'd been through lately, a relaxing day at the spa was long overdue.

* * *

"Wow, your muscles are really knotted here!" Dante winced slightly as the massage therapist assigned to him kneaded his shoulders with the palms of her hands, the petite brunette putting all of her effort into working out the deep kinks in his back.

"I know. It's been a long week." Dante replied, closing his eyes as he tried to relax despite the sharp pain he felt every time the woman applied pressure.

"What exactly do you _do_ for a living?" She asked, switching to gentle, circular strokes with the tips of her fingers.

Dante let out a soft moan, resting his forehead on the leather headrest. He was lying face down on one of the many massage tables in the room, his face slightly turned as it stuck through the hole of the headrest.

_Ah…that's much better._ He thought to himself, feeling the muscles slowly beginning to relax under the masseuse's touch.

_Wait, didn't she just ask me what I do? Aw, crap…um…_

"I'm a heavy machine operator." He lied smoothly, pleased with himself. With his build, it was a passable story.

Tilting his head up, he cast a glance at Trish and Lady, both women several feet across from him, receiving their own deep tissue massages. Both grinned at his cover story, their eyes glinting with amusement before closing again; the blonde and brunette sighing contently as all of their worries and cares were massaged away.

Dante set his head back down again, flinching slightly when the masseuse started working on his lower back.

"Oh, sorry…" she apologized, lightening her touch considerably.

"Don't sweat it," the half devil murmured, "it's just a little tender. I've been through worse."

_A lot worse…_

Images of the many trials he'd faced over the years flashed through his mind; his countless battles at the Temen-Ni-Gru, particularly the ones against Vergil. His battle with Mundus and his minions; the countless times he'd been impaled with his own sword along with other bladed Devil's Arms; his trials in Fortuna…

After all of that and the battles in between, a deep tissue massage was a cake walk.

* * *

"Rejuvenating mud, huh?" Dante scoffed, sinking into the tub next to Lady and Trish, all three wrapped within soft towels. "It looks like regular mud to me…"

_It smells like regular mud, too._

"Quit your complaining." Trish admonished, tilting her head back against the edge of the mud-filled tub, her blonde hair swept up in a high ponytail.

"Let it work its magic." Lady added, closing her eyes as she followed the demoness' lead. "I'm telling you, it really will help work out any kinks the therapist couldn't get at."

Dante snorted in derision, but did as he was told. Leaning back, he braced his arms against the edge of the tub, resting his head against one of the many inflated pillows positioned around the tub's edge. Peering at the women seated in front of him, a wry grin spread across his face, the half devil snickering under his breath.

When Trish and Lady stared at him questioningly, he shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.

"I was just thinking…I bet if you two started wrestling in the mud here, you could bring in a big wad of cash; we probably would never have to hunt demons again…"

Of course he didn't mean it; but it was worth the reaction he got, both women glaring daggers at him with the promise of vengeance. Dante shook his head, chuckling softly as he closed his eyes; so what else was new? He'd already endured the worst they had to throw at him upon his first meetings with them; everything since had been mild in comparison.

The devil hunter wasn't the least bit surprised, when two large clumps of mud splatted in his face, one after the other. Cracking one eye open, he felt his own mouth quirk into a wry grin upon seeing theirs, the mud slowly sliding down his cheek.

"Oh, now you've done it…"

The next thing he knew, he was engaged in an all-out mud flinging war with Lady and Trish, the trio laughing as they tried to cover one another in the rejuvenating mud.

* * *

Once they had rinsed all of the rejuvenating mud off, the devil hunters made their way to the hot springs. Stepping out on to the cobblestoned patio, Dante peered through the tinted glass enclosure, taking in the impressive set up of the hot springs. According to the pamphlet, the hot springs had formed here hundreds of years ago. The owner of the spa had come across them, and had built his business around the hot springs, careful not to damage the underwater passages that created and sustained the natural phenomena. Cobblestones made up the entirety of the pool's edge, a large garden surrounding it with many exotic trees and bushes for privacy. Overhead, the moon shone brilliant silver, its light reflecting in the frothing and bubbling spring below. Candles on large iron pedestals were strategically placed all throughout the garden and along the pool's edge, adding to the ambiance.

The moment Dante's eyes drifted over the bamboo divider sitting smack dab in the centre of the pool, his face fell. "The men's side is separate?"

"Well of course it is," Lady declared, "this is a classy place; they don't want any perverts harassing the women."

"Hey," Dante countered in a wounded tone, "are you calling me a pervert?"

"Well, if the shoe fits…" Lady snickered, making her way over to the women's side with Trish in tow.

"Relax Dante, it won't be so bad." The she-devil assured him with a wink, "We can still talk through the divider."

"Yeah, great…" Dante grumbled, sulking. Seeing that Lady and Trish had already passed through the glass enclosure leading to their side of the hot springs, Dante sighed, and made his way to the opposite side.

Once out in the cool night air, the half devil quickly made his way into the warm pool of water, wading toward the divider and settling his back against it.

"Are you pouting, Dante?" Trish's teasing voice came from the opposite side, directly behind where he was sitting.

"No…"

"He totally is!" Lady laughed, her voice coming from only a few feet to the right of where he'd heard Trish speaking.

"And what makes you think that?" The devil hunter retorted, settling comfortably into a sitting position with one knee braced in front of him, the water coming up to his neck.

"Oh please," Lady replied with amusement, "we've known you for _years_, Dante."

"I don't think he pouted as much when I first met him, as he does now." Trish giggled, Dante rolling his eyes heavenward.

"Is it really any wonder why I 'pout' more now than I did back then?" Dante shot back, though his tone was playful. Even though they couldn't see each other, the half devil was certain both women would recognize that he was teasing. He was right.

"Excuse me? Are you saying _we're_ responsible for your sulkiness?" Trish huffed in mock indignation, Lady giggling next to her.

"Hey, it's not our fault you have such rotten luck with women." Lady declared, "Maybe if you treated us nice, we'd be nicer to you."

Dante smirked at this, playfully rapping his knuckles against the barrier, laughing softly at the startled yelp that came from Lady.

"You jerk," Lady growled playfully, "you'll pay for that."

Dante tilted his head back, smiling. "I'm just shaking in my boots…or I would be, if I was wearing them."

Both women groaned at this; Dante could practically hear them rolling their eyes at yet another one of his lame jokes.

After a few minutes of peaceful silence, the half devil spoke up again. "Hey Lady, do you remember when we first met?"

"Remember? How the hell can I forget?" Lady replied with a laugh. "You were the most infuriating person I'd ever met in my life, up to that point."

"Only up to that point? What about now?" Trish asked with laughter in her voice.

"Hmm…I suppose you're right; nothing's changed." Both women shared a laugh at this, Dante shaking his head with a sigh.

"You say that now, but you looked at me with some very large doe eyes after our fight in the library…"

Dante grinned smugly, knowing he'd hit his mark when Lady let out a deep growl; he could just imagine the deep blush in her cheeks as her eyes narrowed...

"The only look in my eyes was repulsion when you tried to kiss me."

Dante scoffed, "If I had wanted to kiss you, I would have succeeded."

"Oh, really? Are you sure that you only didn't do it because I turned my head away?"

The half devil could hear Trish snickering behind him; the she-devil was clearly enjoying his and Lady's little stroll down memory lane more than they were.

"Careful Trish," Dante warned in a mild tone, his lips quirking into a grin, "Don't get me started on _our_ first meeting, babe."

"Why, what happened?" Lady asked, her curiosity overriding her competitive bickering with the half devil.

"Oh, nothing much," Trish replied, "I crashed my motorcycle through his shop, then proceeded to beat him up."

"Don't forget sticking Sparda through my stomach." Dante added, scowling as he remembered the excruciating pain that followed, when the she-devil had then proceeded to electrocute him.

Lady laughed loudly at this information, Dante's scowl deepening.

"Hey giggles, what are you laughing about? You weren't much better, y'know."

It was Trish's turn to be intrigued, the demoness' voice echoing from the other side of the divider in the otherwise silent hot spring. "Why, what did you do when you first met Dante?"

"I shot him in the face." Lady replied matter-of-factly.

"Twice." Dante elaborated, holding up his middle and index fingers, despite the fact that neither one of them could see him.

At this, both women broke right up, no longer able to contain their laughter.

"You really _do_ have rotten luck with women." Trish declared, the sound of sloshing water meeting Dante's ears as both women continued to laugh at his expense.

"I can't believe we didn't bring this up before now." Lady remarked, sighing once her giggles faded.

"I can." Dante said softly; as sour as he pretended to be about their shared amusement at his discomfort, the half devil wasn't the least bit angry with either of the women. Despite their tenuous beginnings, both Lady and Trish had proven to be excellent allies-excellent _friends_-to him over the years. They had more than made up for their earlier treatment of him, though that had been difficult for him to see, in the years when he'd still been in debt to Lady.

But, he had meant it when he said he knew why his respective meetings with both women hadn't been brought up before; though none of them had voiced it, the half devil knew it caused them both a great deal of anguish, remembering the darkness of their pasts. It hurt him too, of course. Despite having the pleasure of meeting two amazing women who would change his life for the better, he'd had the misfortune of having to battle his brother on both occasions…

Between the remorse of losing his brother to those events, and knowing Lady dealt with her own pain in regards to Arkham while Trish struggled with the guilt of having nearly led Dante to his death at Mundus' hands; it had been an unspoken agreement between them not to dredge up the past, knowing it would inflict pain on the other.

"Dante, what's wrong?" Trish's voice came sharply; the shifting of his mood hadn't gone unnoticed, much to his chagrin. He hadn't meant to let it happen, but it seemed the sadness had crept into his voice, anyway.

"You know we're just teasing, right?" Lady was the next to speak up, a slight quiver in her voice.

Feeling guilty for causing them distress, Dante laughed it off. "Hey, don't sweat it, ladies. Everything's fine."

An uncomfortable silence fell between them then, Dante lost in his own thoughts. Realization hit, when he found himself focusing more easily on the positive parts of his first meetings with them, compared to earlier attempts at strolling down memory lane.

_If only I'd realized that before I opened my big mouth. _He thought ruefully with a sigh. Now he had gone and spoiled everything…

"Lady…Trish? Look," he murmured, "I'm sorry if I've upset you. Really, everything is fine. Despite everything that happened, I'm glad I met you two babes…and not just because you're easy on the eyes." He chuckled, feeling awkward at his attempt at levity.

When he received no response, he frowned. "Babes…?"

Pressing his ear against the divider, he realized he didn't hear anything; not the lapping of water, not a murmur of breath-nothing. Had they left him here, all alone?

The water around him suddenly exploded like a geyser, the half devil recoiling with a surprised yelp. His eyes widened, Trish and Lady standing in front of him with mischievous grins.

"How did-? When did you-?" The half devil sputtered, his back pressed firmly against the divider as he panted heavily.

"Wow, I didn't think you could hit the high notes." Lady remarked, winking at him.

"What are you doing over here?" Dante exclaimed, adding hastily, "Not that I mind…but won't we get caught?"

"We're the only ones here." Trish pointed out. "While you were busy brooding, we snuck over, figured you could use some real company."

Smiling sheepishly, Dante slid down the barrier, returning to his comfortable position from before, one knee upright with his other leg extended in front of him.

Trish and Lady waded over to him, positioning themselves on either side of the half devil, resting their heads on his shoulders.

"We're sorry," Lady said after a moment, startling Dante slightly, "you know…if we opened old wounds, or anything."

Dante met her gaze evenly, noting the uncertainty lurking deep within the orbs of red and blue. He smiled then, the action relaxed, genuine.

This seemed to put the female hunter at ease, for she settled her head back on his shoulder, her lips pulling into a slight smile as she closed her eyes.

He felt Trish snuggle up closer against his other side, the blonde tendrils of hair tickling his shoulder as she shifted into a more comfortable position.

Wrapping an arm around both of their shoulders, the half devil couldn't help but chuckle.

"Hmm? What's so funny?" Lady asked sleepily from his left side.

"It looks like I got my wish after all."

"What wish?" Trish inquired, raising her head to look at him in confusion.

"I'm sitting in the hot springs with a babe under each arm." He declared with a wolfish grin.

The half devil felt both women stiffen, as they exchanged a look with one another.

Without warning, they both sprang up, and playfully dunked his head under water, Lady giving him a couple of solid punches to the shoulder for good measure.

"God Dante, you're such a pervert!" She declared, pushing him under again.

Dante came up, gasping and laughing, his hands raised in mock surrender.

"Okay, okay! Fine, I take it back." He chuckled. "You're not babes."

He barely had time to take another breath, as Trish and Lady shoved him back under again, both women laughing despite themselves.

When they'd had their fill of fun, the trio settled back down in the water, all three leaning against the divider with their eyes closed as they let the hot water ease the remaining tension from their overworked bodies.

"You were right," Dante said to them after a moment, grinning at their bewildered expressions. "A trip to the spa is exactly what we needed."

Lady and Trish smiled back at him, before closing their eyes once again. A companionable silence fell between them, Dante's lips twitching into a smile as he peered at the moon overhead.

_Yeah, I'd say a day here is a day well spent, after all._


	38. Chapter 38: Flashback

**Ack! I'm so sorry, once again, for making you all wait this long. Things have been a little more hectic in real life, but still, it's no excuse. ;.;**

**Anyway, the idea for this chapter is once again owed to Satanic Park of Madness; thank you so much for giving me the idea for this chapter and the last one, when I was otherwise drawing a blank.**

**This chapter is a Dante and Morrison one, in which Dante recalls his first meeting with Morrison while visiting him in the hospital. I won't say more than that, however. If you wish to know what has happened, you'll just have to read. ;) And as always, please review with your thoughts of this chapter. **

**Thanks to all of you who are following, who have reviewed, and added this to your favourites so far; your support is much appreciated. I hope I continue to entertain you with these little snippets from Dante's life.**

**Incidentally, we're getting down to the wire, everybody; only two more chapters to go! (Don't worry, I'll likely come back after a couple of weeks of rest, and write an actual plotted fanfiction for Devil May Cry; I'm not burnt out just yet!)**

**Without further ado...**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Devil May Cry. It is the property of Capcom.**

* * *

_**Flashback**_

"Is he going to be alright?" Dante looked down at the nurse, crossing his arms over his chest, unaware of just how imposing of a figure he currently was to the petite woman. Her brown eyes flicked sideways nervously as she clutched the clipboard to her chest, her gaze falling on Morrison.

"He suffered mild head trauma, and two of his ribs are cracked; but we managed to stop any internal bleeding." Her auburn ponytail bobbed, some of the hair coming loose with the motion, a wavy lock of it falling across her forehead.

"That's not what I asked." Dante replied, carefully modulating his tone. Just because he was tense, it was no reason to take it out on the nurse, after all; the poor woman was doing her job to the best of her ability.

"Uh…f-for the time being, he's stabilized." The nurse stammered, flushing as she averted her gaze. "The doctors are sure he'll be just fine, but right now, we can't say for sure."

_No doubt for legal reasons._ Dante took a deep breath, exhaling it slowly, his arms falling limply at his sides.

"I see. Well thank you," he cast a glance at her plastic nametag, "Tammie. I appreciate your honesty."

Tammie gave him a cautious smile, before hurrying off to the nurse's station, where she was being summoned.

Dante turned around, his leather coat swishing around his legs as he peered through the thick glass; Morrison was unconscious, lying in a hospital bed on the opposite side of the glass, his face a rather grey-green pallor. The snarky older man with a slightly greying moustache and hairline looked so much smaller, somehow. An assortment of machines surrounded him; an IV drip, heart rate monitor, along with various other pieces of equipment Dante didn't know the names of. A tube was connected to the IV needle in his forearm, along with breathing tubes in his mouth and nostrils.

A thick blanket covered the older man from chin to toe, the room darkened to allow him proper rest.

_Not that he has a choice in the matter._ The half devil frowned to himself, his pale blue eyes reflecting in the glass, allowing him to see his own disquiet. Letting out a sigh, he walked over to the door to his right and opened it gently, sliding into the room to get a better look at Morrison.

The multitude of machines hummed and beeped, the only sound filling the eerie stillness of the room. Noticing a plastic chair a few feet from the bed, Dante made his way over to it, and plopped down, resting his elbows on his knees with his head in his hands.

A chill ran from the base of his spine up, tingling through his neck, and dispersing through each one of his limbs, causing him to involuntarily shudder. His stomach clenched slightly as the cold seemed to seep down inside of him, his muscles becoming taut as he gazed up at Morrison's still form.

He'd known Morrison for such a long time, now. In all these years, he never once believed he would find himself in a hospital, standing sentry over him.

_Well, sitting._ He corrected himself, running one gloved hand through his silvery white hair before settling both elbows across his thighs again.

He had always taken it for granted that Morrison was there; he brought him jobs, sometimes arranging the meetings with the clients, if the situation was of a particular nature. He dropped in with cases of Dante's favourite beer, usually finding an excuse to do so, just for the hell of it.

So much had changed since the first time they'd met; if anyone had told Dante he would grow to admire and respect the man lying in front of him, to _befriend_ him even, the half devil would have only shrugged it off casually; theirs had always been a business partnership, hadn't it?

Or so he had originally thought; looking at the unconscious man now, fear gnawed at Dante's insides, his breaths coming out unsteady.

"You're gonna be okay, Morrison; you're gonna pull through this." Dante said to the sleeping man, though the words were, more than anything, to reassure himself. "Everything's going to be fine; I'm right here. Don't you leave me, y'hear?"

His voice came out thick, the devil hunter swallowing several times as he tried to steady his erratic breathing.

"Everything's going to be fine…"

* * *

_**One year after the events on Mallet Island…**_

_Dante paced the length between his desk and the jukebox on the far right of the office, the half devil letting out an agitated sigh. His gaze fell on the stack of envelopes littering his desk, causing another exhalation of breath as he ran a gloved hand over his face._

_Ever since he'd lost Enzo as an agent a few years earlier, the devil hunter had been working independently as his own agent. As difficult as it had been, he'd managed to hold out pretty well-until now._

"_That bastard," he muttered under his breath, leaning against the edge of his desk. "If he hadn't taken off after Nell's death without so much as a backward glance, I wouldn't be in this mess right now."_

_Idly twirling a pen between his fingers, Dante closed his eyes, forcing back the mixture of pain and frustration that threatened to overwhelm him. Pain, because he'd just reminded himself of the woman he'd seen as a surrogate mother; Nell had been an incredibly good gun smith, and a good friend. Frustration, because as things stood right now, he faced the possibility of losing both his livelihood, and his home._

"_Shit…It's not like people are going to hire a homeless gun off of the street now, are they?" He set the pen down, and tilted his head back, watching the slow spinning of the ceiling fan overhead._

_But, what could he do? He was so deep in debt there wasn't a chance he'd be able to hold on to the shop. It was true that Lady had eased up on him, knowing that if he paid her what little he had, he'd be without the necessities-and thus, unable to pay off the rest of his debt to her-but even with the female hunter cutting him some slack, his other creditors weren't. In fact, it had been quite the opposite; they'd been hounding him for the last six months, his debt growing larger every day._

_Huffing in exasperation, Dante got to his feet, and grabbed his coat; there was no point moping around the shop._

"_What a fine mess we're in now." He grumbled to himself, pushing through the double doors. Oh well, it wasn't something a night at Sydney's bar couldn't cure._

* * *

_Dante sat in the far corner of the shabby, hole-in-the-wall bar, close to the entrance. A slight draft came from a small crack in the drywall next to him, the once white paint fading to a dingy yellow, strips of it peeling off of the wall. The low-hanging lamp over his table flickered, the pale yellow circle of light it cast on the worn table reminding the half devil of Morse code._

_He kept his head bowed, glancing surreptitiously around the dimly lit bar from beneath a fringe of silvery hair. Being as small as it was, Sydney's bar only had about ten tables, four of which could accommodate four people at a time; the rest were two-seaters. Each table had its own low-hanging lamp, which resembled upside-down tulips of varying colour. Up at the bar itself were eight stools, all secured to the worn black and grey tile that made up the floor, their red leather cushions torn with bits of stuffing sticking out._

_Despite its shabby appearance, the bar was relatively clean, and served the best alcohol in the city-not to mention the cheapest._

_Smoke hung thick in the air from the opposite corner of the bar, where smoking was permitted. A group of four men were engrossed in a game of poker, cursing and laughing loudly._

_The devil hunter swirled the contents of his glass idly, the ice cubes clinking against the pilsner glass as he raised it to his lips. Taking a long swig, he set the mug down with an audible thud, and swiped a sleeve across his mouth, letting out a satisfied sigh._

_He draped an arm over the back of his wooden chair, and closed his eyes. He had hoped that a solution to his current predicament would reveal itself once he found solace in drink, but so far, nothing came to him. It wasn't as though what little he spent at the bar would have helped him, anyway. He'd only had two beers and a rum and coke; just enough to ease the tension that had been rising in his chest all day._

_But now, he was right back to where he had started; quickly sobering, and without a clue as to how he could get his creditors off of his back._

_The half devil was startled out of his thoughts, when another pilsner filled with frothy beer was pushed across the table in front of him. He looked up at the busty middle-aged waitress, his icy blue eyes meeting her light green ones._

"_I didn't order this." He remarked, cocking a silver eyebrow at her in confusion._

"_It's compliments of the gentleman over there." The short-haired brunette cast a thumb toward the bar, where a man in a long tan trench coat and fedora sat, his back turned to the devil hunter and waitress._

"_Is that so?" Dante murmured, staring curiously at the man's back, willing him to turn around._

"_Yup, he asked me to give you this; said you looked like you could use another round."_

"_Did he, now?" Dante sat up slightly, his eyes never straying from the mystery man. "Well then, I suppose I ought to give him my thanks."_

_The waitress smiled at him, and headed back to work, distributing large glasses of mead to the poker table. Taking a deep breath, Dante got to his feet, and made his way over to the bar, his black guitar case slung over his shoulder. He sat down next to the man, and glanced over at him. The man stared back at him, and gave him a nod._

"_So, it's my understanding that you bought me a drink," Dante stated, holding the glass up for emphasis, "mind telling me why?"_

"_It's just like I told the waitress," the man replied, lighting a cigarette, "you looked like you could use a pick-me-up. Was I wrong?"_

"_No, you were right on the money." He cringed at his own poor choice of words, reminding himself further of his financial predicament. "Pretty impressive that you noticed from all the way over here, though; most people wouldn't have picked that up if they stared me directly in the eye."_

_He let suspicion creep into his words; he didn't know who this man was, but he decided it was better to err on the side of caution. He didn't appear to be a demon, but having come across many that were able to easily conceal what they were, the half devil wasn't about to take any chances._

"_Aren't you a bit young to be so cynical?" The man remarked dryly, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth as he exhaled smoke from his nostrils._

"_In my line of work, I can't afford to take any chances." Dante shrugged, taking a sip from his glass, his eyes never leaving the moustached man's face._

"_I'm Morrison, by the way." The man introduced himself, extending a hand to the devil hunter._

_Dante took the proffered hand, shaking it firmly with his own gloved one. "I'm Dante. I'm an odd-jobs man."_

"_Well, isn't this quite the coincidence," Morrison declared, outing his cigarette in the ashtray in front of him, "I just happen to run an agency for odd-jobs. What kind of work do you usually do?"_

_Dante faltered, averting his gaze. Could this man be trusted with the truth? After all, there weren't many people he trusted with such sensitive information._

"_Hey, it's alright if you don't want to tell me, kid. I understand." Dante looked back up at the older gentleman, noting the sad smile on his face, faint lines forming at the corners of his brown eyes._

_Taking another swig from his glass, Dante shook his head. "Even if I did tell you, what would it matter? At the rate I'm going, I'll be out of business any day, now."_

_Morrison removed his fedora, setting the hat down on the bar as he ran his fingers through his hair, the brown fading to grey at his temples. "Oh? Not that it's any of my business, but I take it that means you've run into financial trouble?"_

_Dante laughed at this, a genuine, throaty sound. "That's putting it mildly; more like ran into, got cornered in a back alley, and beaten the shit out of by it."_

_Morrison chuckled at this, before firing back the rest of his whiskey._

_The two sat in silence for a few moments, Dante observing him from the corner of his eye as he too, finished off his drink. Despite the fact that he'd been wary at the start, he found himself becoming comfortable around this man. Using his senses to their full capacity, he concluded that the man sitting next to him didn't have a malevolent bone in his body; perhaps he could be trusted with the truth, after all._

"_The truth is, I'm so deep in debt right now, I'm not sure how I even still have a place to live; which also just so happens to be my shop, by the way. No matter how many jobs I get, the payment is never enough."_

_Morrison pulled a pack of cigarettes from his front coat pocket, plucking one from the pack and putting it in his mouth. Flicking open his zippo, he lit the smoke, a bright orange cherry glowing at the end of the smoke as he inhaled._

"_Maybe I can be of some help." He declared, pocketing the lighter and exhaling a plume of smoke in the opposite direction; Dante assumed he did this to be courteous, since the half devil himself had no love for smoking._

"_Oh yeah? How exactly would you go about doing that?" Dante asked with a snort. "I'm already in debt; if I agree to you helping me, how much is it gonna cost me?"_

_Morrison smirked back at him, his cigarette clamped between his teeth. "Not a cent; all you would have to do is allow me to become co-owner of your business. Would that be acceptable?"_

_Dante narrowed his eyes slightly, frowning as he mulled it over. "That's it, really? You just want to be co-owner?"_

"_Well, it's not really a matter of 'want', as much as it is a matter of 'need'." Morrison explained, flicking the ash from the end of his cigarette. "It's the only way I can financially back you, in order to keep you from going out of business."_

_Dante rested his elbows on the bar, lacing the fingers of both hands together as he contemplated the older man's offer. After a moment, he turned his gaze back to Morrison, his expression one of utmost seriousness._

"_What exactly are you getting out of this, if I agree?" He asked skeptically. "You can't possibly expect me to believe a complete stranger would do this out of the goodness of their hearts, and all that crap."_

_Morrison barked a laugh at this, his shoulders quaking from the booming laughter that bubbled from deep within his belly. "You really are cynical," He remarked dryly, "the only thing I'd expect from you is that you take whatever jobs I bring you, without complaint, and do them right. Given what I'm offering, I would say that's a fair trade."_

_Dante grinned; he couldn't argue with that. "Okay, so say I agree to this; will I still get to do independent jobs?"_

_Adding another cigarette stub to the pile in his ashtray, Morrison signalled to the bartender to give him and Dante another round of whiskey. "What you do when you're not performing one of the jobs I give you is none of my concern. I'm not interested in taking over your business."_

"_You still didn't answer my question," Dante declared, accepting his glass of whiskey with a grateful nod toward the bartender, "what are you getting out of this?"_

_Morrison let out a soft chuckle. "Okay, you got me. You sure are a sharp one, kid."_

_Dante remained silent, his gaze fixated on the older gentleman, finding himself intrigued._

"_The thing is, I know what you do for a living; I had a feeling since I first saw you enter this bar. You're the devil hunter known as Dante, right?"_

_Dante couldn't hide his surprise at this information, the half devil going rigid as he whirled around to fully face the older man. _

"_If you already knew that, then why ask all of the bullshit questions?"_

"_My sincerest apologies for deceiving you," Morrison replied, looking to be genuinely sorry, "I had to be sure you were who I thought you were."_

_Dante snickered at this. "What, do you know of any other guys with white hair and a red coat, walking around this city?" His eyes met Morrison's, a wry grin on his lips._

_Seeing that the half devil was merely teasing him, Morrison visibly relaxed, grinning sheepishly back at the devil hunter. "Hey, in this city, you can never tell."_

_Both men laughed, and took a sip of their whiskey. _

"_Okay, so since you know who I am, I guess it's safe to assume you know quite a bit about me."_

"_You're an odd-jobs man whose jobs usually involve hunting demons; I don't know much about your past, but I do know that you're half demon yourself-a human for a mother, and the legendary devil general known as Sparda as your father; a demon that betrayed his own kind to protect humanity. You take after his ideals, due to the tragic events in your childhood."_

_Dante stiffened slightly, not wanting to revisit those particular memories. Thankfully, Morrison appeared to be a man who knew where the line was, and didn't dare to cross it. _

_He continued on, "The reason I've sought you out is, my agency could use a man of your talents. Business has been rather slow, and I only have a handful of odd-jobs workers at my disposal; none of which are anywhere near your caliber."_

"_And so you think if we partner up, it would be to both our benefits." It was more of a statement than a question, the devil hunter firing back the rest of his whiskey, enjoying the burn of the liquid as it trickled down his throat, heat blossoming in his stomach._

"_Precisely; so how about it," Morrison answered, meeting Dante's gaze. "If you work part-time for me, I can assure you that you'll be out of debt, in no time flat."_

_Dante absently stroked his chin with the leathery fingertips of his glove, his gaze dropping to the tiled floor as he mulled it over. Not seeing a way that it could possibly backfire, he stuck his hand out to Morrison, the older man taking it firmly in his own grip._

"_It's a deal." Dante declared with a grin. "So, when do we start?"_

"_First thing tomorrow," Morrison chuckled, "for now, I'd say this deserves another round…bartender, give my new friend and I another round of your best whiskey!"_

* * *

A cough from in front of Dante caused his eyes to fly open, the half devil's head coming up from its resting position against his chest as he jolted into sudden alertness. He'd been in the midst of nodding off, when the familiar rasp of Morrison's smoker's cough broke through the swirling fog of his mind.

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Dante rose from his chair, taking a few cautious steps toward the bleary-eyed man in the hospital bed.

"Hey, you're finally awake." The devil hunter remarked, trying to sound casual.

Morrison let out a dry chuckle, only to succumb to more coughing, wincing slightly from the pain in his ribs.

"I could say the same to you." He finally countered, once the spasm had passed.

"Yeah well, I guess the lack of sleep is finally catching up to me." Dante shrugged, his blue eyes locking with Morrison's dark brown ones. He managed a grin, though he could still feel tightness at the corners of his eyes.

Morrison must have noticed, for his own smile faltered, his expression becoming more somber.

Dante knew he didn't need to tell Morrison exactly what he'd been thinking; he'd been worried about the older man, and thus, had spent every day for the past three days at his side, only leaving briefly to grab a bite to eat, or to have a much needed shower.

"What's the matter," Morrison stated dryly, "worried about where your next pay cheque would come from?"

Dante couldn't even find it in himself to laugh at the older man's attempt at levity; he looked away, his gaze landing on the machinery that Morrison was still hooked up to. He needed to think of something else-anything else-that would keep him from losing it right here and now.

_It's gotta be the lack of sleep; devil's never cry, _He admonished himself. _C'mon, get it together, you big wimp! He's alright now, isn't he? Don't you dare break down, not now…_

His internal pep talk had the desired effect, the half devil looking back at Morrison with a grin that was much too wide, eyes that were much too bright.

Morrison wasn't so easily fooled, however; Dante could tell by the pensive expression on his face, his bushy brown eyebrows knitted together.

"Hey," the older man rasped at him, slowly getting into a sitting position. "You have nothing to worry about, Dante. I'm fine; things could have been a lot worse than this."

He put a hand to his ribs, slightly wincing when he unintentionally put too much pressure on the bandaged area. He propped himself against his pillow, leaning back with his eyes closed.

Not knowing how to respond, Dante crossed his arms over his chest, his gaze flicking over to the viewing window that separated the room from the nurse's station. "The doctors say you should be out in another day or two."

Morrison grunted, a knowing smile on his face as his gaze met Dante's. Try as he might, the devil hunter couldn't conceal his feelings from the older agent; it was enough to drive him out of his mind at times. But as of right now, he was grateful for it; it meant not having to give a voice to everything he was currently feeling. Even if he had wanted to, the half devil didn't think he could even begin to express the vortex of emotions warring within him.

"Another day or two, huh? I wish they'd just discharge me now," the older man groused, "I could really use a smoke right about now."

At this, Dante broke right up; he couldn't tell if what Morrison had said was actually that funny, or if this was just the form his relief was manifesting itself in. He opted for the former, but deep down, he knew both played a big part in his overly jovial reaction.

"Leave it to you, to have your priorities all sorted out." The devil hunter said after a moment, still chuckling. He wiped a tear from his eye, and looked at Morrison, meeting the agent's look of amusement.

"Huh, you're one to talk, Dante." The older man countered, "I've never seen a man so hell-bent on having pizza and strawberry sundaes, that he'd bypass the company of a good woman."

Dante resumed his earlier snickering, folding his arms across his chest once again.

"Tell you what," he said once his giggles had faded, winking, "I'll call the nurse over, see if they'll let you out early for good behaviour."

He didn't wait for the older man's response as he swivelled on his heel, making his way toward the door with long strides. Just before the door snapped shut behind him, he heard the unmistakable sound of Morrison harrumphing, muttering under his breath _'Smart-assed, white-haired punk…'_

Grinning, Dante walked over to the nurse's station, shaking his head in wry amusement. Now that was more like his Morrison…

_At this rate, he'll be back to his old, crotchety self in no time._


	39. Chapter 39: Reputation

**Hello everyone! Once again, a thousand apologies for taking my sweet-assed time on this. I hope you can forgive me. ;_;**

**Anyway, this is long. I'm not kidding, more than six thousand words. I'd like to thank all of those who have reviewed or added to their favourites; you have all been so great, and kept me going when I otherwise kept drawing blanks. So big time thank yous, all around. **

**Only one more chapter left on this little series...I'm scared to finish it, but I endeavour to end it in a way that does it, and you guys, justice.**

**And don't worry, I will return with more writing, once I take a mini rest. :)**

**Please R&R.**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Devil May Cry or the characters; they are the property of Capcom. This is non-profit, and purely for enjoyment.**

* * *

_**Reputation**_

"Hey old man, are you here?" Nero shouted as he entered the _Devil May Cry_ office, a beam of sunlight travelling across the hardwood floor and stopping just short of the sitting room. The younger white-haired man cast a glance around the spacious room, his gaze coming to rest upon the sleeping form of the elder devil hunter.

Dante was sprawled out on the red sofa still wearing all of his gear, save for his red leather trench coat, his signature apparel jumbled in a heap in front of the coffee table. One arm dangled awkwardly over the side of the couch, his left leg crooked over the back of the care-worn piece of furniture. His silvery-white bangs fluttered with each exhalation of breath, the half devil snoring softly. A forgotten glass of whiskey sat on the floor next to his dangling arm, small chunks of ice floating at the surface, indicating that it hadn't been long since Dante had passed out.

Grinning, Nero exchanged a look of wry amusement with the brunette woman beside him, the corners of her mismatched eyes of red and blue crinkling as she smiled.

"I guess we have no choice but to wake him up," Lady said casually, though her grin was anything but, "after all, we don't want him to miss out on such a lucrative job now, do we?"

Nero gave a snort of laughter, knowing that Lady looked for any opportunity to torment Dante as much he did. Casting a glance around the room, the younger man's face split into a devious grin as his gaze fell on just the right thing. Lady was momentarily confused, until she followed his line of vision.

Nero's smirk grew, hearing the female hunter beside him starting to giggle. Catching her eye, the duo nodded simultaneously, and set to work on their surprise awakening for the renowned half devil.

* * *

_CRASH! CLANG! CLANG! TSSS!_

Dante bolted upright, giving a pained yelp when his head came into contact with something hard and metallic.

Rubbing his head, his gaze darted around the room, his pale blue eyes finally coming to rest on the woman and young man standing next to the couch, both of whom were laughing hysterically.

Glowering at them, he realized it was one of the cymbals from his drum set that he'd smacked his head on upon waking.

"Real cute you two," He grumbled, rubbing a hand over his stubbled jaw and blinking the sleep from his eyes, "I assume there's a reason you woke me up…other than to torment me, that is?"

"As a matter of fact, yes," Lady smiled at him demurely, settling herself on the arm of the sofa. "We have a job to do, and apparently, it's somewhere you've been before."

"Hmm…and what do you mean 'we'?" Dante asked, frowning in confusion.

"As in the three of us," Lady answered with a sigh, "it would be four, but Trish is still out of town on that other case."

"I think we can manage," Nero remarked with a casual shrug, "I mean, how bad could it be, right?"

"Heh, never underestimate the impact one person can make on a mission, kid-especially when that one person is absent." Dante pointed out, stretching his arms high above him until he felt his back crack.

"Dante's right, but in this case, we should be fine." Lady stated, idly fiddling with her firearms belt. "I'm more concerned about the humans we'll encounter on this mission, than the demons."

The female hunter looked Dante dead in the eye, her solemn expression immediately putting him on alert. Judging by his suddenly rigid stance, Nero had picked up on Lady's tone as well; his sapphire eyes first widening, then narrowing as he glanced between her and the half devil.

"What do you mean?" Dante asked finally, having a feeling he knew what the answer was before she even said it.

"Our mission is on Morris Island."

* * *

Dante continued walking, Nero and Lady matching his steps on either side of him, the half devil doing his best to ignore the whispers of the town's people as their stares followed him.

During his first visit to the port town, Dante had been fortunate enough to have anonymity on his side; it had only been the man named Ernest, his wife Elise, and Ms. Margaret that had known anything about the demon attack that had occurred two decades before.

Now that nearly six years had passed, it seemed that everyone was not only familiar with that incident, but with Dante's part in it, as well.

"Geez, what is with these people?" Nero muttered, casting a questioning glance at the half devil.

"Twenty-six years ago, there was a fire here that wiped out the whole town; only a handful of people survived." Dante kept his tone low, glancing furtively around at the people, all of whom seemed to have forgotten whatever they were doing before catching sight of him.

As his eyes swept over each face, he was met with expressions of fear and anger, all of the people drawing back as far as they could while still attempting to be subtle about it.

"Okay…" Nero replied, sounding confused. "What does that have to do with us?"

"Not us." Dante corrected, "Me."

When the half devil didn't elaborate further, he caught Nero looking at Lady inquiringly from the corner of his eye; the female devil hunter shrugged uncomfortably, as though she didn't feel it was her place to fill the younger hunter in on something so personal to Dante.

"I'll explain, kid." Dante promised, bringing Nero's attention back to him. "Just not here."

The truth was, Dante didn't really know _why_ the people were staring at him; even if Ernest had opted to inform the town's people of the alleged evils he had committed, most of the ones who had suffered more than two decades ago were already gone. Anyone living in the town now had nothing to do with that time period, and had previously thought Ernest eccentric for being obsessed with it.

Was it possible they knew about the demon Ernest tried summoning at the ruins the last time Dante had been here? If that was the case, then why were they glaring at Dante as though _he_ had unleashed it? If not for him, the town would have been destroyed just as it had been twenty years prior.

_Unless Ernest somehow twisted the story around, and threw me under the bus in the process; in that case, it makes perfect sense._ Dante thought with a sigh.

After all, Ernest had demanded that Dante never return to Morris Island. Perhaps he had spread a rumour to the rest of the town's people as a little extra assurance that he wouldn't; or at the very least, to make it very unpleasant for the half devil, if he ever dared to return.

"Dante?" The half devil gave a start at Lady's voice, the female hunter peering back at him with concern in her eyes. Nero stood next to her, tension lining his face as he attempted to hide his demonic arm, glaring at anyone who stared at it.

"We'd better find some shelter," Dante muttered, striding passed them, "assuming there's anywhere we _can_ go in this town. Who the hell hired us, anyway?"

He glanced back at Lady, a look of bewilderment crossing her face.

"A woman named Elise." She replied slowly, quirking an eyebrow. "Why?"

_Ernest's wife? Damn it…this can't be good._

"I don't know yet, but we're going to find out. Come on, I know where we need to go."

Nero and Lady exchanged looks of complete bafflement, and followed the half devil, the trio keeping a wary eye on their surroundings the whole time.

* * *

The three hunters stood in front of a two-storey house, Dante taking in the familiar peaked roof that sat just below the guest room, along with the large bay windows and weather beaten front porch.

Heaving a sigh, he made his way up the wooden front steps, Lady and Nero shadowing him as he came to a stop before the screen door. Rapping his knuckles lightly against the metal frame, the trio waited with bated breath. On their way to the house, Dante had filled them both in on everything that had occurred during his last visit to Morris Island, along with the vague memories of his life as Tony Redgrave.

When he explained that it was Ernest's wife that had hired them, both Lady and Nero became uneasy, and the half devil couldn't blame them; something about the situation didn't feel right. Even if it was purely innocent on Elise's part, Dante didn't see how he was supposed to save the town when everyone in it seemed to view him as public enemy number one-not to mention what would happen if he found himself confronted by Ernest.

There was nothing for it, however; they were here, so they may as well look into the reports of demonic activity.

_And who knows? Maybe we'll get some answers of our own._ At least he hoped so, anyway.

The main door opened a crack, the devil hunter catching a glimpse of a brown eye peering out at them. The eye widened in surprise, before the door opened all the way, a long-haired brunette woman opening the screen door to greet them.

"Dante," Elise sounded genuinely shocked, "I'm surprised to see you here. I was beginning to think you wouldn't come, after all."

Dante exchanged a look with Lady, and turned back to Elise with a frown.

"I didn't know you were expecting me at all; Lady here was hired for the job. She just brought me along for the ride, along with our friend, here." He indicated Nero, the younger man flushing self-consciously.

"When I was told that Lady was a devil hunter, I also learned that she was connected to you," Elise explained, her gaze dropping guiltily, "so I took a gamble, thinking she might ask for your help, since the attacks have been so frequent, not to mention devastating."

"Does Ernest know about this, about you hiring me?" Dante folded his arms over his chest as he studied the woman intently, noticing the slight flush in her cheeks when he mentioned Ernest's name.

"Well…not exactly…" She looked up at the devil hunter tentatively, her eyes wide and pleading. "But what else could I do? I can't just ignore the deaths of the town's people! In the last three days alone, sixty-eight more people have died…"

She dropped her gaze, her bangs slightly obscuring her eyes. Dante was no fool, however; even though he couldn't see her eyes, he could see the trembling of her lower lip.

Exhaling, the half devil stepped forward, lightly placing a hand on the distressed woman's shoulder. She flinched slightly, but made no attempt to move away from him. All the while, Lady and Nero remained silent, standing sentry behind Dante just in case of a surprise attack.

"It's okay Elise. I'm not upset; I understand why you called us here. Do you think we could come in? Then you can tell us everything that's happened."

Elise sniffled, and nodded her head. "I'm sorry. Yes, of course, please come in. I'll put on a pot of coffee."

Dante gave her a grateful nod as he strode passed her, Nero and Lady following closely behind him, the latter giving Elise a reassuring smile.

Dante looked around the living room, noticing that it was exactly as he remembered it; from the stuffed red armchair, to the glass coffee table, to the old-fashioned wooden cabinet sitting in the back corner. The wall was decorated with paintings, along with floating shelves holding various knick-knacks.

Settling into the armchair, the half devil gestured to his companions to sit down as well; Nero looked particularly uncomfortable, his gaze darting all around the room as though he expected a horde of demons to jump out from behind the furniture at any second.

Lady sat down on the loveseat across from Dante, patting the cushion next to her as she looked at Nero. The younger man finally complied, letting out a sigh as he flopped onto the cushion.

"Relax kid," Dante said, taking in the part devil's nervous appearance, "there's no danger here."

Nero gave a slight nod, his eyes never ceasing their constant scanning of the house's interior.

Dante only sighed, his head snapping up when Elise came into the room, carrying a tray with steaming mugs of coffee on it. Gratefully taking one of the mugs from the tray, the half devil waited until their host finished passing out the beverages and sat down.

When her gaze met his, Dante took a sip from his coffee, and settled back into a more comfortable position. "Okay Elise, why don't you start off by explaining what's happened since I was here last?"

* * *

"So, I was right," Dante murmured, staring at the dregs in the bottom of his mug, "Ernest did retract the statements of my innocence, and tell the town's people I was to blame."

"I don't get it," Nero spoke up, a mixture of irritation and confusion in his voice, "even so, that happened more than twenty years ago. You said there weren't likely to be many people living here who were even _around_ at that time."

"Nero's got a point," Dante met Lady's gaze, surprised by the look of sheer determination on her face, "and the events from six years ago went unnoticed by everyone; you said the devil never made it further than the ruins."

"Are you sure there isn't more to it than this?" Dante turned his gaze back to Elise; the woman looked just as puzzled as the rest of them felt.

"If there is, Ernest didn't tell me." She replied, setting her empty coffee mug down on the table. "Ever since then, he's been really secretive. It's like he only tells me enough to keep me from asking anymore questions."

At these last words, she became downcast, her gaze falling to her lap. Dante looked over at Lady and Nero, both of them mirroring his confusion.

"That reminds me," Dante declared, drawing the woman's attention back to him, "what's going to happen when Ernest finds out I'm here? Won't he be angry with you?"

"And let's face it," Nero added bluntly, "he _is_ your husband; there's no way he isn't going to notice that Dante is here, once the demon hunting begins."

Elise bit her bottom lip, a fretful expression on her face. Before she could answer, Lady cut in.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. I'm more interested to know where all these demons are coming from in the first place."

Elise turned her attention to Lady at the same time that Dante did; the half devil had to admit that she was right. So far, they had no idea what had spurred the sudden demon activity in the town, but he was certain they had come by way of 'invitation'.

"No one knows," Elise replied softly, "or at least, they aren't telling. I have a bad feeling one of the town's people might be to blame."

"What, do you mean you think one of them went to investigate Ernest's claims?" Dante hazarded a guess, leaning forward with his arms resting across his thighs.

Elise met his speculative gaze, and gave a slight nod. "Though who it might be, I can't even begin to guess; so many people went to the ruins immediately after Ernest made that proclamation. And many have been there since."

Nero stood up, rolling his shoulders as though to work the stiffness out of them. He looked at Dante meaningfully; the elder hunter got to his feet as well, having a feeling he knew what the younger man was thinking.

"Then I think it's pretty clear what we have to do," Nero declared, casting a glance between both Dante and Lady, "we need to go to those ruins. I don't think we're going to get any more leads sitting around here."

Lady rose to her feet, slinging Kalina-Ann over her back while simultaneously finishing off the last of her coffee.

Dante gave both of his companions a significant look, his gaze flicking toward Elise before coming back to them. "You two go on ahead," he told them, ignoring their sputtered protests, "I have something else I have to do, first. Do you think you can handle things until I get there?"

Nero let out an agitated sigh, his gaze dropping to the floor; Lady quirked an eyebrow, staring at Dante intently before exhaling her own breath.

"Yeah, we'll take care of it." She assured him, making her way toward the door.

Nero followed her, casting a final glance back at the elder hunter before heading back out into the fading light of day. "Don't take too long old man, or there won't be any leftovers for you."

Dante folded his arms over his chest, grinning. "Don't worry kid; I won't miss the party."

With that, Lady and Nero were gone, leaving Dante alone with Elise, the house becoming eerily quiet.

The half devil scrutinized the somewhat timid woman, taking notice of the way she shifted nervously from one foot to the other, her gaze occasionally meeting his before falling to the ornate area rug she stood on.

"Before Lady interrupted, you were going to say something." Dante finally spoke up, causing Elise to jump slightly.

When she cast him an inquiring look, he continued. "About Ernest; I asked you how he'll react, once he finds out I'm here…and that you're the reason."

Elise hung her head in resignation, a sigh escaping her lips. "Ernest is currently in the hospital. When the attacks first started happening, he was badly injured. Since then, they've kept him at the hospital for his own peace of mind."

"I see." He murmured, feeling a sudden twinge of guilt in the pit of his stomach. He had no doubt that they kept Ernest confined for more than just that; they probably didn't want him acting anymore recklessly than he already had.

After a moment, the half devil looked at her again, putting his hands in his pockets as he tried to act casual. "Would it be possible for me to check on him?"

Elise looked startled at this suggestion, her brown eyes widening as she stared up at the devil hunter.

"Don't worry," he hastened to reassure her, "I won't hurt him, you have my word. I have a feeling Ernest knows a lot more than he's told you, and if that's the case, I need to find out, before any more town's people get killed."

"I understand," Elise nodded, her hands clasping tightly before her chest, her expression fearful. "But after all that's happened, I'm not sure how co-operative he'll be…"

_What you really mean is after everything I put him through._ Dante thought to himself, the twinge in his stomach becoming more difficult to ignore.

"Even still," he said out loud, "I have to try."

Though she still looked uneasy, Elise nodded, and made her way to the door, her car keys in hand. "Okay, I'll take you to him, then."

Dante nodded his head in thanks, and followed her out of the house.

_I hope Lady and Nero are holding up alright…_

* * *

"I think it's safe to say this is where they're coming from!" Nero shouted, unleashing a fiery upward stroke with Red Queen, sending the group of lesser demons scattering in the wake of the durandal's blast.

A fair distance away, Lady whirled around, unloading the clips of both her submachine gun and pistol on another group of devils. "I think you're right!" She called back, sneering as she claimed the lives of several of the creatures.

Sensing more that were about to pounce on her from behind, she turned around, lowering into a crouch as she brought her missile launcher around defensively. Before she could pull the trigger, two shots rang out from the opposite side, the demons dropping from the charged bullets of Nero's revolver, Blue Rose.

The younger man and female hunter exchanged a smirk, before both dove back into the fray; bullets and missiles flying every which way, with the occasional ringing of a sword to punctuate the sounds of gunfire.

_With any luck, we'll draw out whoever is responsible for this._ Lady thought to herself, rolling off to the side as one of the demons unleashed a sonic shockwave. _And it had better be soon, because if I have to go looking for them, they're going to be really, really sorry…_

* * *

Dante braced himself as he turned the doorknob, and strode into the hospital room, his boots thudding with each step across the pristine linoleum floor. When Elise made to follow him, the half devil gently put a hand on her shoulder, shaking his head.

"There's no need for you wind up on his bad side for me," he explained as her eyebrows contracted worriedly, "If he asks, I was tipped off by one of my devil-hunting cohorts. I don't want to drag you through the mud with me."

Elise frowned up at him uncertainly, but complied. Casting one last furtive glance toward the end of the long room, she spun on her heel, and exited.

Taking a deep breath, Dante walked toward the back of the room, and gripped the privacy curtain tightly, before drawing it back.

A man with brown hair and deep brown eyes sat on the bed, looking up with a blank expression on his face. His eyes lit up when they came to rest on Dante; despite the fact that the devil hunter had a healthy amount of stubble on his jaw and had increased his muscle mass since he'd been in town last, it was clear from the baring of Ernest's teeth that he recognized him.

"You…" He snarled, glaring at Dante with enough venom that an ordinary person would have recoiled at the mere ferocity of it. "Bastard! What are you doing here? I told you, I'd kill you if you ever came back!"

Ernest attempted to rise to his feet, only to fall back against his pillows, squeezing his eyes shut as he stifled a pained moan.

Dante rushed to his side, gently gripping the man's left forearm, concerned. "Take it easy, I'm just here to talk."

Ernest wrenched his arm free, glaring up at Dante despite his apparent pain. "Get away from me! There's nothing for us to talk about!" In a burst of anger, he flung his fists at Dante, his knuckles slamming into the half devil's midsection again and again.

Dante remained calm, not even flinching when Ernest landed a particularly solid hit. When the man stopped, he was panting, sweat trickling down his forehead from his hairline.

"I'm sorry."

Ernest couldn't contain his shock, his eyes widening as he stared up at the red-clad man next to him. "What did you say?"

"About what happened back then…I'm sorry," Dante reiterated, shoving his hands into his pockets, "I tried to tell you I wasn't who you thought I was. But it is true that the town was attacked because that demon was looking for me."

Ernest narrowed his eyes again, his mouth forming a thin line as he glared silently at the devil hunter. Several minutes passed, before he opened his mouth to reply.

"Do you really think an _apology_ will ever make up for the hell you brought down on this town?!" He flared up, spittle flying from his mouth as he raged on. "Children were orphaned, whole _families _were wiped out!"

"I was an orphan, too." Dante raised his voice to be heard over Ernest's accusations. The man fell silent, staring at the half devil with an unreadable expression on his face.

When he showed no signs of speaking, Dante continued on. "I was an orphan, too. My father disappeared just after my brother and I turned eight; my mom was killed by a horde of demons not too long after, and at the time, I didn't know what had become of my brother. I lost my memories, and wound up in an orphanage for several years, in which they gave me the name Tony Redgrave. Once I was old enough, I took up work as a mercenary with my foster family. When Morris Island was attacked, I had no idea that the demon was looking for me; even if I had known, I wouldn't have known _why_. When I was eighteen, I regained my memories of who I really was. Because of who my father was, a demon who betrayed his own kind, I've been hunted by them ever since."

He gave a sigh as he looked at Ernest, the man dumbstruck by the information Dante had just revealed to him. "I'm a devil hunter because I want to make up for the tragic events of the past, to spare innocents from suffering the same fate my mother did…the same fate that the people of this town suffered."

All of Ernest's hostility melted away, the man's expression becoming guilt-stricken. "I…I didn't know…"

"Don't worry about it; not many people do." Dante replied, doing his best to control the growing tension in his chest. "But what I need from you right now is information."

"What kind of information?" Ernest asked, his voice trembling as he tightly gripped the edge of his blanket.

Dante could tell Ernest knew exactly what he was talking about, but for whatever reason, the man was terrified.

_What is he so afraid of? Me, or is it something else…?_

"Ernest, please." Dante placed a hand reassuringly on the man's shoulder, looking at him imploringly. "I have a feeling you know why there have been so many demons around town lately. I need you to tell me everything you know; otherwise a lot of people might die."

Ernest opened his mouth as if to speak, then snapped it shut again. When Dante continued to stare at him, he relented with a sigh. "Alright, I'll tell you everything."

* * *

Dante bolted up the stone steps as fast as he could, his breath coming quick and shallow as he made his way closer and closer to the ruins.

"_Josh is one of the kids in my class; you have to understand, I was so angry at the time," Ernest looked pleadingly at Dante, eyes watering, "But even I had no idea that Josh would find a way to re-open the portal…"_

_Dante heaved a sigh, closing his eyes as he ran a hand over his face. "This Josh kid; did he ever show an interest in demonology before then?"_

"_No," Ernest replied, his gaze falling to his own lap, "it wasn't until his parents were killed two months before, while on a trip in Fortuna."_

_Dante gave a start at this information, gripping Ernest's shoulders tightly. "Fortuna? Are you sure?"_

_Looking somewhat frightened, Ernest nodded his head fast, squeaking out. "Yes, I'm certain."_

_Dante let go, and turned around with a curse, gazing down at the quiet street from the hospital window._

"_What is it, Dante?" Ernest's voice came out choked with anxiety, the half devil turning around to face him once again._

"_Thanks for the information, but I have to go." Dante quickly made his way toward the door, only stopping at Ernest's plea for him to wait._

"_I'm really sorry, Dante…I had no idea what would happen…you gotta believe me!"_

_Dante met the man's gaze, his expression softening. "It's alright. It's not your fault. I have to leave now, before something really bad happens."_

The conversation echoed in Dante's head with each step he took, the devil hunter finally coming to a stop at the top of the edifice, where the ruined gate laid in shambles, just as he remembered it from the time before.

Frowning, the half devil paced slowly, circling around as his eyes travelled over the wreckage. Where were Lady and Nero? He could tell from the shells and scorch marks amongst the rubble that a battle had taken place not too long ago; a breeze wafted over him, carrying the scent of gunpowder.

Looking more closely, Dante realized that the bullet casings formed a trail, leading away from the ruins, and back into town.

_No doubt the work of Lady,_ he mused, grinning slightly. _I guess I'll just have to follow it to see where it leads._

He just hoped wherever it took him, it wasn't already too late.

* * *

Dante came to a halt, taking in the scene before him with Rebellion in hand, the sword extended forward with the pistol Ivory cocked and ready in his right hand.

He made out Lady's unconscious form lying on the ground, her arms and legs riddled with scratches. Not too far away, Nero was pinned down by about ten or eleven demons of varying species and size, the younger man roaring as he desperately fought against them. A teenaged boy with black hair and two piercings in his left ear stood behind him, his green eyes wide with fright.

Rushing to Lady's side, Dante was relieved to see she was still breathing. He scooped her up in his arms, and quickly made his way over to Nero, weaving from side to side as he dodged the attacks of the lesser demons.

Seeing Dante approach, Nero's blue eyes brightened; the younger man stabbed downward into one of the devil's and revved Red Queen up, fire engulfing the unfortunate creature as it screamed in agony.

"I tried to get to her," Nero said to him by way of explanation, his tone apologetic, "but they swamped me before I even got close."

"Don't sweat it kid." Dante set Lady down against the side of the row of dilapidated townhouses, satisfied that she would be safe here while he helped Nero clean up the mess.

Grabbing a hold of the teenaged boy by the collar of his black T-shirt, Dante shoved him up against the wall. "What the _hell_ were you doing kid, summoning demons like this?"

Nero cast a startled glance back at Dante upon hearing the elder hunter's irritating nickname for him. Realizing it wasn't directed at him for once, he shook his head, grinning wryly as he fired a shot at another devil, stopping it in midair as it launched itself at the younger hunter.

"I'm sorry!" The teenager blurted out, his voice shaking as he looked up at Dante's livid expression.

"Do you have _any_ idea how much trouble you've caused?" Dante growled, his pale blue eyes flashing dangerously, as the teenager shook his head. "You don't? Well I'll tell you; you're responsible for the deaths of at least _sixty-eight_ of the people in this town!"

Josh shrank back as far as he could while still in the half devil's grasp, tears running unchecked down his flushed cheeks. "I'm so sorry…" He squeaked out, hanging his head. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen, I swear…"

Dante let out a snort of disgust, releasing the teen from his grasp. Pointing Ivory behind him without looking, he fired a shot, hitting a demon right between the eyes.

"Then what the hell were you trying to do?"

The half devil knew the answer before Josh even uttered a word, the teen looking up at him through tear-filled eyes in anguish. "I thought if I summoned a couple, I could avenge my parents. They were killed while on a business trip in this city called Fortuna."

Dante heard a startled gasp come from Nero, the younger hunter looking at the teen briefly before slicing an Arachne in half.

Josh continued on, not having noticed the exchanged glances between the two devil hunters. "I begged them not to go; I'd heard the reports from a few years ago, when Fortuna had turned into a demon cesspool, resulting in the city's destruction…but they went, anyway."

Dante let out an exasperated sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose as he attempted to calm himself. When he opened his eyes, he was surprised to see Josh kneeling on the ground, his arms falling limply at his sides as his body wracked with sobs.

Glancing up momentarily to shoot at an Assault bearing down on Nero, the devil hunter pulled the trigger, and returned his attention to the distraught boy.

"What you did was stupid, kid. There's no doubt about that," Dante remarked, crouching down in front of the youth, meeting his startled gaze, "Playing with forces you knew nothing about and couldn't control was beyond reckless."

Having finished off the last of the demons-at least for the time being-Nero sidled up to them, resting Red Queen over his left shoulder. "If the town's people find out he did it, they'll tear him apart." He declared, causing Josh to look up at him with a startled gasp, his emerald eyes wide with fright.

Dante stood, casting a glance toward Lady as she began to stir. He glanced at Nero meaningfully, the younger hunter getting the message, and heading over to check on their wounded companion.

The half devil studied the morose teenager in front of him for a moment longer, finally extending a hand to him. "No one else is going to know it was you who did this." He declared, pulling the teen to his feet. "If they knew, you'd either live the rest of your life wondering if today's the day they'll burn your house down, or living as an outcast; and those are only the best case scenarios."

"You…you're not going to rat me out?" Josh stammered in disbelief, his eyes growing wider than the devil hunter ever would have believed possible.

"No, I'm not; having a lynch mob shadowing you for the rest of your days wouldn't take back everything that's happened." Dante stated matter-of-factly, his expression softening at the remorse that cascaded down the youth's cheeks once again.

Dante gently placed a hand on Josh's shoulder. "Look, I get that you're pretty upset, but right now, I need you to tell me how you opened the portal in the first place. Only then can I close it properly, and make sure nothing like this ever happens in this town again."

Josh swallowed several times, his breaths calming noticeably. "I-I read it in a book that I found…at the library."

"Do you still have this book?" Dante pressed, the half devil growing tense as he felt the air around them beginning to undulate with demonic energy.

"Shit!" He heard Nero curse, the younger man's demonic arm flashing brightly.

"I know kid, another wave is coming through." Dante called over to him. Noticing that Lady was on her feet once again, he smiled faintly; the female hunter's expression held the promise of brutal punishment for the next devil stupid enough to get in her way.

Turning back to Josh, he gripped his shoulders tightly, looking him dead in the eye. "We gotta act fast; where is that book?"

* * *

Not even a half hour later, Dante stood in Ernest's room at the hospital, Josh at his side while Lady and Nero hung back by the door.

"Are you sure this is okay?" Ernest asked him, glancing anxiously at the devil hunter, "After all, you saved this city."

"He's right," Josh declared, gulping as he looked at Dante with fierce determination, "It doesn't seem right that you take the heat for me like this."

"The town's people already think I'm a monster," the devil hunter shrugged, folding his arms across his chest, "Trust me; it's better this way."

The three remained silent for a few moments, Ernest nodding slowly in understanding. Despite the mayhem that Josh had caused, the man held himself responsible for putting ideas in the youth's head. "Thank you for everything you've done." He whispered, managing a weak smile in Dante's direction.

"I'm so, so sorry." Josh murmured, looking at the devil hunter guiltily.

"I know, kid. You've only said it a dozen times," his tone was mildly exasperated, though the half devil grinned at the youth reassuringly, "If you are truly sorry-which I know you are-you will find a way to make up for this without becoming a target …unlike me."

Patting him on the shoulder, Dante walked away without another word, followed closely by Nero and Lady.

As they made their way out of the hospital, Nero broke the silence. "You saved all of their lives…are you really okay having an entire town hate you?"

Dante stopped, and gazed evenly at the younger man. "What would you have me do, throw the kid to the wolves?"

Seeing that Nero had no answer to that, the half devil continued on. "Besides, so what if my reputation suffers? I had no intentions of coming back here, anyway."

He continued walking, eager to leave before Ernest could spread the 'official' story that he had made the man swear he'd tell to the entire town. Lady and Nero exchanged a troubled look, and followed behind the half devil, the clicking of their boots against the cobblestones the only sound, as the trio made their way to the docks; the sooner they boarded the Ferry home, the better.

Despite the turn of events, Dante smiled; he might not be the most _popular_ guy on Morris Island, but at least he'd finally granted Ernest the closure he deserved. If his reputation was the price he had to pay to accomplish that end, and to continue protecting those who needed it most, the devil hunter would do it all over again.


	40. Chapter 40: POV

**Okay, everyone...first and foremost, I apologize for taking so long with this chapter. I want to thank each one of you for sticking with me to the very end with this. I mean that from the bottom of my heart; thank you, so very much.**

**Yes, this is the final chapter, and as such, it is the longest one of all (not by design, but for the simple fact that it covers everyone's point of view). I made the theme Halloween, since it's only a couple of weeks away, but otherwise the main focus is on the characters perspectives of Dante, closing with his.**

**I really, really hope I did well with this; also, though I read it over a few times while writing it still, I apologize in the event that I missed any errors. If you find any, please let me know what they are, and where.**

**Again, thank you all so much for reading this word-prompt series. :) It's been an honour.**

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own Devil May Cry, or the characters; they are the property of Capcom. This is non-profit, and purely for entertainment.**

* * *

_**P.O.V.**_

_**Patty**_

Patty couldn't help but giggle at the dumbfounded expression on the devil hunter's face; one eyebrow was quirked upward, his lip twisting slightly as he peered down at the teenaged girl through a fringe of silvery-white hair.

"Okay, I give up; who are you supposed to be?" Dante finally asked her after a moment, shoving his hands into his pants' pockets.

"I'm Alice." Patty answered, grinning smugly.

"Alice? Alice who?"

Patty narrowed her eyes at him, and heaved a sigh. "Alice, as in 'Alice in Wonderland'," She gestured grandly at the powder blue dress adorned with frilly lace and ribbon, along with the ribbon that tied her hair back. "Honestly Dante, how did you _not_ get that?"

"Well excuse _me_ for not being versed in your girly fairy tales." The half devil snorted, crossing his arms over his chest in his typical cocky stance.

Seeing his grin, Patty was unable to keep a straight face, and opted to change the subject; if she laughed, she'd only encourage him more...

"Anyway, I brought the pumpkins for us to carve." She cast her gaze back toward the six large, orange fruit sitting on the second step leading up to the _Devil May Cry_ building.

"How the hell did you get them here?" Dante asked her, his expression becoming puzzled once again.

"My mom dropped me off with them," Patty snickered, "What, did you think I carried them here all by myself?"

"I think you've been spending too much time around me," Dante stated wryly, "it looks like some of my sarcastic charm is finally starting to rub off on you."

Patty stuck her tongue out at him playfully, and hefted one of them pumpkins up, balancing it against her hip. "And Nero's…and Lady's…" She declared as she passed him to enter the building.

She could hear him chuckle softly behind her, as he gathered up the rest of the pumpkins in an impressive show of skill, looking like he was performing a balancing and juggling act, all at once.

"Be careful with those." Patty warned with a backward glance, her eyes widening slightly when one of the pumpkins started teetering forward slightly.

Dante scoffed in reply, his voice muffled by the burden he carried in front of him, his face hidden from view. "Please, I slay demons for a living. I think I can handle a few Jack-O-Lanterns."

Just as he said this, the pumpkin in question plummeted toward the floor, Patty lurching forward to catch it just before it hit.

"You were saying?" She ground out between clenched teeth, her muscles straining under the weight of the pumpkin. Tucking it under one arm, she bent over to pick up the one she'd set down quickly in order to catch it, carefully rolling it up her side with one hand until it was tucked securely under her other arm.

"Impressive." Dante murmured from around his batch, his wide eyes betraying his astonishment.

Patty grinned at this. "Why, thank you. And by the way, they're not Jack-O-Lanterns; at least not yet."

"Yeah yeah, whatever…" Dante mumbled, beginning his slow, cautious journey toward the kitchenette.

Patty followed along behind him, stifling a giggle at the obvious embarrassment in the half devil's tone; a lack of coordination was rare in his case, and _by god_, she wasn't about to let him forget about it. After all, it wasn't often she had ammunition to use against the half devil; it tended to be the opposite in fact, resulting in him mercilessly teasing her.

_Well, now it's his turn to feel _my_ wrath._ She thought to herself, grinning wickedly. She would just have to wait for the perfect moment.

Dante set the pumpkins down on the counter with a grunt, and cast a glance at Patty, his mouth twisting into an uncertain frown. "What's so funny?" He asked her.

"Nothing!" Patty widened her eyes, attempting to feign innocence, though she couldn't quite hide her grin.

"Uh-huh…" Dante narrowed his eyes suspiciously, continuing to stare at the blonde girl until she felt a slight shiver go up her spine.

"Well anyway," she hastily changed the subject, and began rooting through various utensil drawers, her back turned to the half devil, "we'll need a good, sharp knife to carve these pumpkins."

As she inspected each knife closely, Patty felt a blush creep into her cheeks, her face becoming hot; she could almost feel Dante's gaze boring into the back of her head.

"Nice try little lady," Dante's voice came from directly behind her, making her jump slightly. "If you think I'm going to drop the subject that easily, you're sadly mistaken…"

"I swear to god, Dante…" Patty whirled around, meeting the half devil's devious gaze with a fierce one of her own, "if you even _think_ of trying to get the info out of me in a way that winds up messing up my hair _or_ my costume, I'll use the Alan's Tear against you!"

Several seconds ticked by, as Patty maintained her stern expression; Dante stared at her, his pale blue eyes blinking rapidly, before he succumbed to laughter.

"Okay, okay!" The half devil chuckled, grabbing hold of the knife that Patty had just been about to take from the drawer. "I'll let it go…for now."

Patty let out a sigh of relief, and picked out a similar knife to the one Dante was currently using. She watched him as he cut open the top of the biggest pumpkin on the counter, his tongue slightly tucked between his teeth while his eyebrows drew together with concentration.

The blonde girl shook her head, smiling slightly at the devil hunter's expression. Letting her gaze drift over the rest of the orange fruit, she sidled up to the one that caught her eye, standing just to the left of Dante. With her own knife, she sliced into the top of the pumpkin, sawing in a circular motion around the stem, creating an opening big enough for a grown man to stick his hand in.

_Hmm, I should probably put an apron on._ She mused. _After all, pumpkin guts are pretty messy._

Grabbing the apron that hung just on the back of the kitchenette door, she returned to her pumpkin, grinning as she listened to Dante humming to himself. She doubted that he even realized he was doing it.

As she started removing the innards from her pumpkin, tossing them into the plastic bag Dante had set on the counter, she glanced at him with her peripherals. "Hey Dante…do you remember when we first met?"

She couldn't help smiling when she heard him chuckle in response, all the while both of them carving their pumpkins.

"I try not to." Was his smart-assed reply, his eyes twinkling mischievously as he looked over at her.

Patty knew Dante was only kidding, but she couldn't stop herself from retorting, "Six years later, and you're still a broke, strawberry sundae-loving jerk."

"And _you're_ still a brat." He teased back, laughing as Patty playfully punched him in the shoulder.

Returning to her pumpkin carving, Patty popped out two triangular pieces, and tossed them into the trash bag.

She remembered their first meeting well; the half devil had complained to Morrison that he wasn't interested in babysitting some brat. He had then insulted her further, when he said that maybe in ten years or so, he'd ask her out on a date. Even at such a young age, Patty had been quick to the draw, returning with her own scathing remark that she'd say no in ten seconds.

"We've come a long way since then." She stated softly, her eyes never straying from her work.

Indeed, they had; while they continued to bicker just as they had back then, there was an undeniable bond between them. In truth, that bond had germinated the moment Dante had taken up the task of being her bodyguard; the only difference was that the bond had grown, and become a lush forest.

As she reminisced, Patty could feel herself blushing, and blushed even deeper when she caught Dante look at her out of the corner of his eye.

"Heh, I suppose you're right." He declared with a wry grin, "You're not nearly as irritating as you were back then."

Patty stopped partway through cutting the Jack-O-Lanterns nose, and glared at the devil hunter half-heartedly.

"You say that, as if you were perfection itself." She countered, and continued carving the pumpkin.

"Am I not?"

Patty rolled her eyes heavenward and met the hunter's playful smile with her own, giggling at how boyish he could appear when he wanted to.

_Leave it to Dante to disarm me by making me laugh._ She thought with a groan. Knowing that further talk of their first meeting was doomed to failure, the blonde teenager tried a different tactic.

"Hey, do you think we could get in a little sparring practice tomorrow?" She asked him, casting a hopeful glance his way.

"Have you been taking proper care of that new weapon that Nero made for you, just like we taught you?" Dante asked her, continuing with the carving his own Jack-O-Lantern.

"Of course," Patty declared, "I take it apart and clean it every day, and I keep the blade well oiled."

She smiled faintly, her vision becoming hazy as she recalled the day both white-haired men had presented the weapon to her. It was a gun-blade, made of carbon-steel. Nero had crafted it himself, when he noticed the teen had trouble switching back and forth from blade to firearm. And so, he had created a custom, one-of-a-kind weapon for her. While gun-blades weren't a new concept, this particular one was meant for Patty, alone.

Years earlier, after Dante had defeated Sid in Abigail's form, the young girl had taken a shard of the original Alan's Tear pendant as a memento, despite having her own, slightly-less-powerful version of it.

Nero had taken this shard, and infused it into the gun-blade's handgrip; that way, Patty's attacks would be amplified by the small amount of magic still present in the shard.

"Have you gotten used to the revolver's kickback, yet?" Dante's voice brought her out of her reverie, the teen blinking several times until her vision refocused.

"Yeah, it's not as bad anymore." She nodded, smiling wistfully. "Karma works perfectly."

The teen had christened the gun-blade herself, seeing her weapon as karmic retribution against all the devils she fought while alongside the more experienced hunters. Though she knew she had a lot more training to go, Patty was pleased with herself; in the last year, she had come a long way, her talent truly manifesting itself through her custom weapon.

"Damn it…" Dante muttered, glaring at his Jack-O-Lantern.

Patty looked at him in confusion, her gaze shifting to the carved pumpkin-only to immediately burst out laughing. "Dante, what did you _do?_" She snickered, her eyes watering as she took in the Jack-O-Lantern's crooked facial features, one eye much smaller than the other, with the mouth askew, giving the impression the Halloween lantern was grimacing painfully.

"Shut up…" He groaned, his shoulders slumping as he hung his head.

This only caused Patty to laugh harder, the teenager gripping her sides as she doubled over.

"You did so badly, even the _Jack-O-Lantern_ is upset with you." She giggled, trying to ignore the laughter-induced stitch in her side.

The next thing she knew, something slimy hit her right in the face, causing her to yelp in surprise.

_Is that…what I think it is?_

"Gah!" Patty howled her protest. "Pumpkin guts? Oh, you're _so_ going to get it now, Dante!"

Patty scowled at the devil hunter, as she wiped the slimy pumpkin innards from her face. Something about her expression must have amused him, for Dante gave in to riotous laughter, the devil hunter gripping the countertop for support.

"You think it's funny, do you?" Patty scooped up a big glob of pumpkin guts, and strode toward the still laughing half devil. Before he could raise a hand in self defense, the teen shoved the glob right into his face.

Patty couldn't keep herself from laughing loudly, as the pumpkin guts slid down the devil hunter's nose. He wore a mock glare on his face, though his eyes were alight with amusement. He started advancing on her, his steps slow and deliberate.

Patty felt a prickle at the back of her neck, causing her to shudder involuntarily. She retreated a few paces, her hands held in front of her in an attempt to ward the half devil off.

"Now, now, Dante; you brought it on yourself, remember? I was only getting you back for what you did to me…"

The blonde teen gulped as Dante let loose with a sinister chuckle, feeling a bead of sweat rolling down her temple.

"Oh, but didn't you know, Patty?" Though his tone was playful, there was no mistaking the underlying current containing the promise of retribution. "Revenge only begets more revenge!"

With that, the duo entered a full-out pumpkin gut flinging war, Patty laughing and shrieking as she desperately tried to dodge the slimy substance.

Dante laughed maniacally along with her, the half devil ducking and weaving as Patty barraged him with pumpkin innards. It got to the point that she didn't know what made her laugh more; their little game, or the half devil's infectious laughter.

Just as Dante was about to fling more pumpkin guts her way, he stopped dead in his tracks, his pale blue eyes wide with surprise as the pumpkin guts slid from his fingers onto the floor. Lowering her defensive stance, Patty cocked an eyebrow at him.

_What's gotten into him, all of a…_

Patty let out a groan, as a metaphorical light bulb blinked to life in her head. "Trish is standing in the doorway, isn't she?" She murmured, her fearful gaze meeting his.

Seeing that Dante wasn't going to answer, and knowing what the answer would be anyway, Patty turned around, her eyes meeting Trish's smirk of mild amusement.

Grinning sheepishly at the she-devil, Patty slowly wiggled the fingers of one hand in greeting. "Hi, Trish…"

* * *

_**Trish**_

"Ooh, nice cat costume, Trish." Dante joked, his eyes roving appreciatively over the demoness' form; from the black cat ears on top of her head, to the fluffy tail positioned at the small of her back. The she-devil had opted to stick to her regular leather pants and bustier, figuring it would add to what little she had in regards to the costume she'd thrown together at the last minute. She'd also seen fit to paint whiskers and a pink circle on the tip of her nose, her blue-green eyes accented with a light dusting of black eye shadow.

At Dante's wolf whistle, Trish let out a groan, shaking her head at both the half devil and the disastrous state of the kitchenette. Before she could admonish either of the culprits, Lady came to join her, the brunette clad in a cliché witch's costume; silver buckled boots, black robe, and of course, a pointy black hat.

"And Lady, it looks like you're finally getting in touch with the real you." Dante's eyes shone playfully as he said this, but Trish knew Lady wouldn't let it slide, either way.

"Dumbass," Lady muttered in reply, her eyes narrowing when she took in his appearance, "and just where is _your_ costume?"

"Oh don't worry babe." Dante winked at Lady, the brunette exchanging a look with the demoness that just screamed_, 'How do you do it?'_ The half devil continued, "You'll see it soon enough."

"Given the mess you and Patty made," Trish cleared her throat, glaring meaningfully at Dante, "I'd say it's a good thing you haven't put your costume on, yet."

Dante only shrugged in response, wearing his customary casual grin; no matter how hard she tried, Trish couldn't help smiling back. The half devil always seemed to know what buttons to push, but more importantly, he always knew how to diffuse a situation-particularly one he had caused.

_Damn him._ Trish mentally cursed, attempting to maintain her severe demeanor, and failing.

"And luckily for me," Patty chimed in, glancing down at herself, "I was wearing an apron. Honestly Dante, I would have _killed_ you, if you got any of that stuff on me!"

"Hey, you started it." The half devil protested, "And besides, I made sure not to hit your costume; I am a nice guy, after all."

At this, Trish started to laugh, the blonde teenager and brunette devil hunter laughing along with her. Dante frowned at all three of them, but the she-devil knew he was faking it; he had fully intended on making them laugh, even if it _was_ at his expense.

"Okay, that's enough now." The demoness declared, grinning warmly at the half devil and adolescent girl. "You two should clean this mess up before the others arrive; Lady and I will finish carving the other pumpkins."

Once both the demoness and female hunter had donned aprons of their own, they set to work on the remaining four Jack-O-Lanterns, making short work of it compared to Dante and Patty.

_Of course, that's probably because we're not throwing pumpkin meat around…_ The she-devil concluded, smiling faintly as she continued her meticulous carving of the last pumpkin.

"There, all done." She declared, nodding in approval at her work. Lady, Dante, and Patty all crowded behind her, eyeing her handiwork.

"Wow! How did you do that?" Patty asked her, blue eyes wide with astonishment.

"Lots-and I mean _lots_-of practice." Trish answered easily with a casual shrug.

"That is pretty intricate," Lady remarked, her heterochromatic eyes meeting Trish's with a hint of good-natured envy, "but just how did you do a portrait of all of us like that, exactly?"

"I did it from memory." Trish explained, "I've always had an eye for details."

"I'd say." The female hunter replied, nodding appreciatively, the brim of her witch's hat slipping lower over her eyes with the movement.

"Why don't you and Patty start decorating the office?" Trish suggested, "Dante and I will find a good place for all of the Jack-O-Lanterns."

Lady nodded her understanding and headed out of the kitchenette, the teenaged girl on her heels.

"Well, wherever we put the rest of them," Dante said to her with a smile, "this one is definitely going out on the front steps. None of the punks in this neighbourhood would dare smash it."

Trish cocked an eyebrow at this, genuinely curious by what he had meant by that statement.

"Dante, you didn't…?"

The half devil waved a hand dismissively at the she-devil, grinning. "Don't worry;_ I_ didn't do anything…the devils haunting the office, however…" He let out a sinister chuckle, and picked up one of the Jack-O-Lanterns, taking quick strides out into the office area.

Trish let out a laugh of her own, following the half devil out with a Jack-O-Lantern under each arm. "I thought you were going to try and banish them?"

"Who said I didn't?" He countered with a wry grin. "They're more stubborn than you think. And I can't release them, either. If I did, they would bring hell down on this city."

_Knowing him, he means that literally._ Trish thought to herself with a smile.

Out loud, she said, "Maybe I can help."

As she positioned one of the Jack-O-Lanterns on the coffee table in the sitting area, Dante set another next to the jukebox. "Care to elaborate?" He asked with a glance at her over his shoulder.

"Well, if they can't be exorcised, at the very least I can bind them for a few hours tonight." Trish replied, putting her second Jack-O-Lantern beside the stairs. "It should at least be long enough to keep them from scaring away any of the children trick-or-treating tonight."

"Well, if you can pull it off, I guess I'll owe you my thanks." Dante winked at her, before slipping back into the kitchenette for the other Jack-O-Lanterns.

Trish smiled at his retreating back. The demoness was sure that if they had had this conversation several years earlier, the half devil would have made some snide comment about not giving a damn whether the devils scared trick-or-treaters, or not. In fact, he probably would have _personally _made sure there were no trick-or-treaters at his door.

_Or he would make sure he wasn't home, and drink himself into a stupor at the nearest bar until every last kid was in bed with a candy-induced stomach ache._ She mused, giggling.

From the time they had first become devil hunting partners to now, Trish couldn't deny; Dante had done a lot of maturing over the years. She knew that everyone had done their part, in bringing out the best in the half devil, and she was given to wonder just how much of that she had contributed to.

Of course, it wasn't as though Dante didn't share in some of that, himself; the demoness would never discredit him for the transformation he'd undergone over the years. After all, he had learned some hard life lessons, and despite some of his rougher periods of growth, he had managed to transcend all of it, becoming the charismatic, powerful, good-humoured man he was today.

She watched as the half devil strategically placed the other Jack-O-Lanterns around the room, his gaze meeting hers as he held the last one-the one with the portrait she had carved. He beckoned her over with a finger, smiling at her in that way he had that, if not for how proud she was, would have made her swoon.

"Since this one is yours, you should do the honours." He told her, guiding her out into the chilly evening air.

As the door snapped shut behind them, Trish reached out, and took the Jack-O-Lantern from him, her eyes scanning for the perfect spot. Deciding the edge of the top step was as a good spot as any, she gingerly put it down, and pulled the top off. Dante had already placed a simple candle on the inside, so all she had to do was light it. Casting a glance up at him, her lips pulled into a slight grin, noting the match he held out to her.

"You didn't think I'd forget it, did you?" He admonished her good-naturedly, his pale blue eyes dancing as he looked at her.

Trish took the match, and struck it against the concrete step, carefully lowering the flame into the Jack-O-Lantern. Once the candle was lit, she straightened, waving the match until only a wisp of smoke curled up from the blackened match head. The demoness was caught off-guard, when Dante's arm encircled her waist, and he pulled her close against him, his lips pressing against hers.

Trish gasped slightly, her blue-green eyes widening until she relaxed, and melted into his embrace. She didn't know what had brought it on, but she wasn't about to complain, either. When they finally parted, she found herself panting slightly.

Catching sight of Dante's somewhat smug expression, she narrowed her eyes at him, smacking his chest lightly in rebuke. This elicited a chuckle from the half devil, followed by a gentle peck on the cheek that left her feeling quite warm despite the crisp autumn air.

"So, what d'ya say," His voice came out gruff, his gaze becoming tender, "should we head back inside, and help them with the decorating?"

Trish laced the fingers of her right hand with his left, silently leading the half devil back inside, no longer trying to conceal her smile.

* * *

_**Lady**_

Lady glanced back from her position atop the step ladder, as the double doors to the _Devil May Cry_ office opened. "You guys sure took your sweet time." She smirked back at her friends, Trish returning it with one of her own while Dante feigned nonchalance.

The female hunter had just finished hanging black and orange streamers on either side of the weapons' placards, while Patty festooned random spots around the room with balloons of the same colour. Casting a glance around at the mostly barren walls, she concluded there was still a lot more to do.

Removing her witch's hat, she wiped a light sheen of perspiration from her brow, and turned her attention to Dante. "Hey, do you have any other Halloween decorations? There's still a lot of wall that needs covering."

The half devil held up his index finger, and exited the room, indicating that he would retrieve the rest of the decorations.

_The storage room; of course, _Lady mentally chided herself, _Why didn't I think of that?_

She climbed down from the step ladder just as Dante came back into the room, and relieved him of one of the three boxes he was carrying. Setting it down, Lady began rummaging through it while Patty and Trish rifled through the other two.

Spying the corny, yet still comical decoration that looked like a witch crashing into a wall on her broom, the female hunter reached forward. Just as her hand clamped down on it, a familiar gloved hand did the same; Dante had been reaching for it at the same time as the female hunter.

The half devil let go, and politely gestured with his hand, "After you."

Seeing the coy smile on his face, Lady let out a scoff, and stood with the decoration in hand. Looking around the room, she murmured aloud, "Now, where to put this…"

"How about on the outside of the office door?" Dante suggested as he rummaged through the box yet again, this time pulling out a cackling, red-eyed skeleton.

"How about you put that one on the outside," Lady replied, "and I put this one on the inside of the door opposite?"

"Fair enough."

Both hunters set about fulfilling their tasks, Dante finishing his before Lady had even carried the step ladder across the room.

"Here, I'll take care of it." The half devil offered, holding out his hand for the witch decoration, "Wouldn't want you to have to hang one of your own, after all."

He chuckled at his own lame joke, not appearing to notice that Lady had just stifled a giggle. The last thing she needed was for him to think he'd won; as far as she was concerned, his ego was already inflated enough.

_No…that's not right._ She could admit it to herself, at least, if to no one else.

It was true that Dante could be genuinely cocky on occasion; but the female hunter had known him for a very long time, and in all of those years, she had learned a great deal about the half-breed. One of the things she had learned was that, when it came to Dante, not everything was always as it seemed. In those moments when he had come off cold and indifferent, she knew that deep down, he really cared. He had more emotional depth than most people, and far more than even he realized. The same held true for his cockiness; often times, it was a front, a cover. Other times, it was his way of simply making the best out of a bad situation.

It had taken seeing him cry for Vergil after their battle so many years ago, for Lady to realize that there was a lot more to him than just the appearance of some cocky, arrogant jerk. And even then, she was convinced she'd only begun to uncover the tip of the iceberg.

Suddenly becoming aware that the subject of her thoughts was staring at her in a curious manner, Lady cleared her throat and met his gaze, doing her best to ignore the heat creeping up the back of her neck and into her cheeks.

Dante smirked knowingly at her, but said nothing, and returned to his task of hanging up the witch as Lady stared after him, dumbstruck.

_Wait a second…_ Lady narrowed her eyes at the half devil's back, her teeth clenching. _Did he just insult me, and get away with it? What the hell is wrong with me?!_

Lady crept closer to the half devil, making an attempt at nonchalance. "You're lucky I'm in such a good mood, otherwise you'd be eating lead for that little comment of yours." She growled, though she lacked any _real_ conviction; she may threaten to do it a lot, but she seldom acted on it, anymore. Usually, the threat was more than sufficient, if only for the simple fact that Dante would rather not be spitting up bullet fragments for the next week or so.

The devil hunter only chuckled in response to her empty threat, his back still turned to her as he hung the witch on the back of the door.

_Damn, he's catching on._

Pinching the bridge of her nose, Lady exhaled a breath. Deciding she was better off keeping busy with the rest of the decorating, she set to work, silently promising herself that she would get him back for his jibe, one way or another.

Pulling a hollow plastic ghost out of the box, she looked back at the half devil, surprised to see an almost apologetic smile on his face as he looked back at her. Lady groaned inwardly, as she felt her lips pulling involuntarily into a returning smile.

_On second thought, maybe I'll cut him some slack-but just this once. Even Dante deserves a free pass, now and again…_

* * *

_**Kyrie**_

Kyrie couldn't help but smile at the young white-haired man next to her, taking in his impressive hand-made costume with golden eyes. Nero had decided he would dress as the Grim Reaper, and so Kyrie had taken it upon herself to make the costume for him, since he had been so busy with his Knightly duties.

The black, hooded cloak was made of a simple cloth, and bore a simple design. However, Kyrie had ensured the robe would be form-fitting around Nero's waist, and had made sure the sleeves wouldn't be too baggy, since they were bound to be around candles and other sources of open flames during the course of the night.

She had stitched silver embroidery around the hood, cuffs of the sleeves, and the waist, adding a white skull made of felt to the left-hand side of the chest. Completing Nero's costume was a plastic scythe nearly as tall as he was, painted black and silver, with a hint of 'blood' along the edge of the blade.

The part devil glanced at Kyrie with his sapphire eyes, a soft smile on his lips; a smile that she knew was meant for her, alone.

Kyrie smiled back at him, before smoothing out the wrinkles of her own white robe; in stark contrast to Nero being Death, the auburn-haired woman had opted to be an angel. Much like Nero's costume, she had made hers, as well. It was form-fitting, covering her from collarbone to her ankles, with gold stitching criss-crossing at the front down to her waist, with a fine line at the bottom hem. On her back she wore white, feathered wings; a wired, golden halo atop her head.

Knocking on the double doors once again, Kyrie adjusted her hold on the wicker basket she was carrying, balancing it slightly on one hip.

When the door finally opened, the couple was greeted by the sight of Dante in a Dracula costume. It was a simple black suit with a red silk-lined cape, accented with a white collar and gloves. Kyrie beamed, and presented the basket of food to him.

"Greetings, Lord Dracula," She giggled, "I hope you will make an exception, and feast on more than blood, tonight."

Dante chuckled, revealing his own canine teeth when he smiled. As far as Kyrie was concerned, his teeth were much more impressive with the Dracula costume, than some cheaply molded plastic, anyway.

He motioned for them to come in, taking the basket from her as she and Nero crossed the threshold.

"Heh. You're looking sharp, old man." Nero declared, gesturing at the elder hunter's costume with his demonic arm.

"I can say the same about you, kid." Dante replied with a snicker. "It's quite the improvement from your usual, horrendous self."

The men bantered back and forth, Kyrie watching the exchange with utmost affection. She had come to realize long ago that they were very much alike; their bond was similar to that of a mentor and student, of a father and son, with a hint of sibling rivalry, all rolled into one.

As Kyrie smiled in remembrance, she laughed to herself; it was so strange to think that, once upon a time, she had been so intimidated by the half devil. Now, she held him in such high regard, viewing him as Nero's quirky 'uncle'. Given that they were both of Sparda's bloodline, she could only conclude that her impression wasn't necessarily wrong; after all, Dante had guided Nero, and helped him shape his skills until they had reached perfection-just as any older, male relative would.

She was brought out of her thoughts by Dante's joyful exclamations, as the half devil arranged the assorted food dishes on his large, mahogany desk.

"Did you make all of this yourself?" He asked her, his pale blue eyes bright as he smiled gleefully at her.

Kyrie laughed, and sidled over to the desk. "Yes, I did. Though Nero helped me with the deep dish pizza and the pumpkin pie."

"You really _are_ an angel!" Dante declared, sweeping Kyrie up into an unexpected hug, and spinning her around. "You even made it without olives…"

At the nearly choked sound in his voice, Kyrie laughed, hugging the devil hunter back.

"It was nothing Dante, really. I just hope you like it." She stated shyly, as the half devil put her back down, her feet gently coming into contact with the hardwood floor.

"I wouldn't worry," Patty piped up from the other side of the desk, where she had just finished up with the decorating, "Dante would eat pizza-flavoured cardboard if we let him. Besides, I bet your pizza is amazing, anyway."

Kyrie smiled gratefully at the blonde teenager, giggling slightly when Dante shot her a playful scowl. She couldn't help but take notice of the bonds he shared with everyone, and just how relaxed he was, even while bickering with them. It had surprised her to learn that there was a time when Dante was not as charismatic and warm to all of those around him-but also having knowledge of his painful past, she could hardly blame him.

_After Credo died, even I wasn't myself._ She thought sadly to herself. While many people had often declared that she was still the same, warm, caring person she'd always been, she knew she had been a great deal more withdrawn, each smile feeling forced for several months after the fact.

Eventually though, she had come back around, and made peace with the loss of her brother, finding solace in the fact that his final acts had been to save both her and Nero. Like Dante, she had also lost both her parents at a young age, so she could only conclude that if she eventually had come to terms with it, so had he. Despite them being two very different people, they really did share a lot in common; the one thing she was certain of was that the half devil was stronger than she had been. At least she'd had Credo looking out for her while she was growing up; she had been well cared for, and had felt quite secure in that knowledge. Dante hadn't had any of that security, and so, Kyrie couldn't help but admire him; despite the darkness of his past, he truly was a strong person.

"Kyrie?"

Kyrie shook her head, her gaze refocusing on the devil hunter. She blushed when she realized this was the second time she'd spaced out on him.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I was just lost in thought. What were you saying, Dante?" She smiled at him bashfully, feeling somewhat ashamed for not being more aware of her surroundings.

Dante gave her a reassuring grin, and held a circular pizza cutter out to her.

"I just wanted to know, since you made this, if you'd do the honours?" His smile reached his eyes, genuine; Kyrie smiled back at him, and gently took the pizza cutter in hand.

"Of course," she replied with a slight laugh, "it would be my pleasure."

* * *

_**Morrison**_

As he strode through the double doors, Morrison was met with various shouted greetings of everyone inside of the _Devil May Cry_ building. Shrugging out of his long coat, he nodded to Nero as he passed by, the younger man clad in a Grim Reaper robe.

"I hope you haven't come for me," the older man joked, "I still have a lot of unfinished business to attend to; such as bailing a certain devil hunter we both know out of more debt."

Nero stopped in his tracks, chuckling. As his gaze met Morrison's, he frowned slightly. "Hey, how come _you're_ not in a costume?"

Morrison removed his fedora, hanging it at the top of the coat rack.

"That's kid stuff." He grumbled, lighting a cigarette. "Come on, you don't mean to tell me everyone else is wearing costumes, too?"

"Morrison, you made it!" Patty strode over to the moustached man, relieving him of the box of pastries and sweets he'd brought. "Hey, where's your costume?"

Morrison exhaled the smoke from his nostrils, his gaze meeting hers. "I'm not wearing one."

"Well, I can _see_ that." Patty retorted, rolling her eyes. "So, why not?"

"Well according to the old, _old_ man," Nero laughed when Morrison grumbled further, "Halloween costumes aren't for adults."

"Then he clearly hasn't been to any adult shops." Morrison turned at the familiar voice, and narrowed his eyes at the half devil, Dante clapping a hand on his shoulder in greeting with a wink and a grin.

Just as Morrison opened his mouth to make a comeback, Lady entered the room, coming to his defense.

"Morrison doesn't need a costume," Lady winked at the older gentleman, "he's perfect just the way he is."

"Ah, so you like them old and grumpy, do you?" Dante stroked the stubble on his chin, his gaze darting between the female hunter and agent, a playful glint in his eyes when he met Morrison's glower.

Lady merely scoffed, ignoring the half devil. Looking at Patty, Morrison could scarcely hold back the grin that threatened to form.

"Make sure everyone _but_ Dante gets some of those pastries."

Dante's smile faded, the half devil glancing back at the box in the teenaged girl's hands.

"You brought pastries?"

"Yup, fresh from Nina's bakery." Morrison grinned, outing his cigarette by squeezing it between his fingers.

He burst out laughing then, as Dante made to lunge at the pastry box, Patty side-stepping him with a scowl. "You heard Morrison," she chided with a smirk, "no pastries for you!"

By this point, Trish and Kyrie had joined the group near Dante's desk, everyone laughing as Dante turned his puppy dog gaze on the teenaged girl.

"Aw, c'mon! Morrison wasn't serious," Dante objected, only to cast an uncertain look his way. "Right, Morrison?"

Morrison chuckled to himself, and cupped a hand over his ear. "What was that, Dante? I couldn't hear you; I'm _old_, remember?"

The older man was thoroughly enjoying the flicker that passed over the half devil's face, his emotions ranging from dumbfounded to rueful.

"Hey, Nero called you old too, remember?" The devil hunter finally sputtered, casting an accusing finger in Nero's direction.

"Hey, why did you drag _me_ into this?" Nero protested, waving both of his hands in front of him with a sheepish grin.

Morrison's smile grew, the elder man crossing his arms over his chest. "Hmm, you're right; he did. I guess neither one of you will get to try out Nina's _exclusive, Halloween-only_ pastries."

The two white-haired men glanced comically at one another, before turning their pleading gazes on him.

"Whoa, let's not be so hasty there, Morrison…" Nero cajoled, sidling up to the elder man and clapping a hand on his shoulder.

"The kid's right," Dante chimed in, "after all, he calls me old, too. To him, we're nothing but a couple of old geezers. So, why don't you forget all about what _I_ said, and you and I can team up against him?"

The half devil clamped a hand on the opposite shoulder, smirking at Nero's sputtered protests on the other side.

Morrison laughed out loud at this, causing both of them to stare at him, perplexed.

"Nice try, you two." He declared, "But I'm still not convinced."

Everyone but Dante and Nero laughed at this, clearly amused at how the elder agent had gotten one over on the two overly proud devil hunters.

Another idea struck Morrison then, and he winked at the others. "Why don't you guys dig in? There's plenty for all of you."

The four women obliged, all giggling as they began snacking on the delicious pastries, making sure to convey their enjoyment of the treats with each bite.

_It won't be long, now…_ Morrison mused, grinning.

He was right; within seconds, both Dante and Nero had resorted to bargaining. The idea of missing out on Nina's exclusive pastries was clearly too much for them to handle.

"Alright, alright! I'm sorry, Morrison!" Nero blurted out finally, his head bowed in contrition.

"Yeah, what the kid said." Dante added, casting a panicked glance back at the rapidly disappearing pastries.

"Hmm…" Morrison stroked his moustache, pretending to think it over. "Well, alright. I guess you can have some, Nero."

The younger white-haired man laughed gleefully, snatching up one of the pastries with his Devil Bringer and bringing it to his lips with a satisfied moan.

"Hey, what about me?" Dante asked, frowning.

"_Nero_ apologized," Morrison declared, grinning at the devil hunter's look of dread. "_You_ didn't."

As if on cue, everyone else immediately stopped what they were doing, and became engrossed with the exchange between the agent and devil hunter.

Morrison laughed softly. _The only way this could have worked out better, is if I'd handed them all scripts beforehand._

It wasn't that he had actually taken offense to the old man jokes; he was used to it. In fact, he'd even become rather fond of it; the banter between the half devil and himself had been going on for years.

The fact that Dante had never stopped poking fun at Morrison as he got older himself, actually meant a great deal to the older man; it was a testament of their long-standing friendship and business partnership, the teasing being something he knew the half devil only reserved for those he cared about most.

Dante cleared his throat, mumbling as his gaze dropped to the floor.

"What was that?" Morrison asked, "I forgot to turn up my hearing aid."

Everyone laughed at this, Dante grinning sheepishly with his face turning red. Embarrassed as he was, he always managed to take it in stride; a fact that Morrison was grateful for, since he didn't intend on really making the half devil suffer. The elder agent just happened to be in a playful mood himself, and was enjoying the rare moment in which he found himself with the upper hand.

"I said…" Dante heaved a sigh, "I'm…sorry."

Morrison almost chuckled at the way the half devil seemed to choke on those words, but decided he'd tormented him enough. "Okay, I suppose I can forgive you _this_ time."

With that, Dante snatched the pastry box from Patty, a sigh of relief escaping him upon managing to secure the last pastry for himself. As he shamelessly scarfed it down, Morrison began laughing, everyone else echoing his amusement with giggles of their own.

_Wait until he finds out I have two more boxes full of pastry sitting in my car…_

* * *

_**Nero**_

A couple of hours later, once the last of the trick-or-treaters had come to the door-in which Kyrie volunteered to hand out the candy-everyone decided to settle into the sitting room with a horror movie. The group had feasted enthusiastically between Kyrie's homemade dishes, and the pastries that Morrison had brought from Nina's bakery; now, everyone was full and somewhat sleepy, but unwilling to call it a night just yet.

As Patty set up the latest version of 'The Wolfman', everyone else got comfortable. Sitting on the left side of the couch, Nero nudged the half devil beside him with his elbow. When the elder hunter cast him a quizzical look, the part devil surreptitiously looked around at the others. Satisfied that they weren't paying either of them any mind, he tilted his head in the direction of the kitchenette, and held up two fingers as if to say, _'Meet me there in two minutes'._

Without a word, Nero got up from his seat, and headed to the kitchenette, no one else appearing to notice. Leaning against the counter, he pulled back the hood of his cloak, a wicked grin on his face as he pondered over the prank he had in mind.

Hearing the familiar, dull _thud_ of approaching footsteps, the younger man looked at the kitchenette entrance, grinning as Dante sauntered in.

"Hmm…judging by that gleam in your eye, I'd say you're up to no good." Dante stated dryly, his lips quirking into a mischievous grin that matched Nero's.

"Feel like having a little fun at everyone else's expense?" Nero peered at the elder hunter through his bangs, idly tapping the claws of his Devil Bringer against the countertop.

Dante let out a dark chuckle, his response all-too-clear to the younger hunter.

"I thought you'd be up for it." Nero declared. "Okay, we gotta act fast before anyone notices we're gone; here's the plan."

Dante leaned up against the wall, and fixed his gaze on the younger hunter, a slight smirk on his lips.

Satisfied that the half devil was giving him his undivided attention, Nero continued.

"You head upstairs; if anyone asks where you're going, just tell them you're bringing down a case of pop you forgot about earlier. Once you're up in your room, climb out the window, and make your way to the front door. Ring the doorbell; I'll offer to answer it under the premise of allowing them to watch the movie in peace."

Dante nodded his head, his expression becoming thoughtful.

"Okay, so what happens next?" He asked.

"I'm glad you asked that." Nero reached beneath his robe, pulling several fireworks from his pocket, "We set these up over by the window nearest to the sitting room, and light them up. It takes these ones about twenty seconds to go off, so we'll have to move quickly."

"Lemme guess," Dante's eyes lit up, his grin becoming larger, "the fireworks are a decoy, right? They go off, and everyone runs out to investigate. While they're preoccupied, we pop out of nowhere, and scare them out of their wits. That sound about right?"

Nero nodded, chuckling softly. _He's good; he sees right through my plan. I guess I shouldn't be so surprised, given who I'm dealing with, here._

"Only one problem, kid; that little trick may work on the others, but Lady and Trish don't scare easily." Dante pointed out.

"Maybe not," Nero admitted. "But, there's a first time for everything. Besides, what harm could it do? It's Halloween; get into the spirit of things, old man."

Nero turned his head, carefully concealing his grin of triumph from the suddenly indignant half devil.

"I don't think you know just who you're dealing with," Dante growled in a playful tone, "sit back kid, and let the 'Trickster' show you how it's _really_ done!"

_Hook, line, and sinker…_

Nero felt a _little_ guilty for using the elder hunter's pride as a tool for manipulating him, but looking back over their numerous training sessions, he couldn't get too worked up about it. For one, he was certain the half devil had full awareness of what he was doing; for two, Nero was positive that Dante had employed the same method in order to push the younger hunter to his full potential in combat.

When he thought about it like that, Nero smiled; he wondered just how much of Dante's time with him had been spent as a conscious effort to help refine not only his skills, but his personality, too? He had to admit, he was far better at controlling his temper than he used to be-and he knew he owed a great deal of that to the elder hunter's patience and guidance.

"Hey kid, are we going to do this thing, or are you just going to stand there daydreaming?"

Nero gave a start at Dante's voice, feeling a blush rising in his cheeks at the smug expression on the half devil's face.

Rubbing the back of his neck, Nero nodded. "Yeah, let's do this."

Both white-haired men made their way out of the kitchenette, their steps faltering as they approached the sitting room.

Nero scanned the room, his eyes flicking over every darkened corner as he turned in a slow circle.

"Where is everyone?" He murmured, as a feeling of uneasiness washed over him. He cast a glance at Dante, the elder hunter looking around the room in much the same way he just had, a suspicious scowl on his face.

"We were only in the kitchen for a few minutes," the half devil declared, "they can't have gotten far."

Nero cast one last look around the room, his eyes falling on the television set, where the Wolfman movie was still playing.

_What could have happened to them? _Nero wondered. He hadn't heard any sounds of distress coming from the office while he and Dante had been plotting their Halloween prank. Was it possible that the others had gone out for some reason?

"Well, we won't get any answers just standing around here." Nero said it as much for his benefit, as he did for the elder hunter. "Let's check outside, see if we can find any clues."

Before either one of them took a single step forward, they fell under attack. Nero let out a pained yelp as he dove to the floor, shielding himself from the spray of ammunition stinging his back. He could hear Dante's muffled cry to his right, as the half devil hit the floor seconds after he did.

_Wait a second, those don't sound like real guns…and these definitely don't feel like real bullets…_

Hazarding a glance upward, Nero groaned, meeting the smug expressions of everyone else. Looking over at Dante, the younger hunter let out a sigh, and lightly tapped him on the shoulder.

"Um, Dante?"

The half devil looked up slowly, his eyes going from wide disbelief to a semi deadly scowl.

"Gotcha." Lady declared, lowering the airsoft gun in her hand. Trish smirked from just behind her, a sheepish-looking Kyrie at her side, casting Nero an apologetic look.

"You know, you guys should really plan your pranks more quietly." Patty chimed in, giggling. She turned her gaze on Dante, smirking. "Ha! 'Trickster', indeed."

When Dante let out a growl in response, Nero couldn't help what happened next; he didn't know what had come over him, but something in the way the elder hunter had growled came across as funny to him. Maybe it was the sugar high, or maybe it was the irony of the situation itself; either way, the younger hunter burst out laughing, clutching his sides as a fit of giggles took him over.

The next thing he knew, Dante started laughing along with him, the elder hunter sprawled out on his back as he surrendered to the deep, booming laughter that came from his belly, his shoulders shaking with each guffaw. This caused a chain reaction, everyone else joining them in their state of euphoria with laughter of their own.

Once his laughs died down to chuckles, Nero sat up, his gaze meeting Dante's as he wiped a tear from his eye. The grin on the elder hunter's face was nearly enough to send him into another fit of giggles, but he restrained himself, biting down painfully on his lip until he drew blood.

"If you children are quite done," Morrison's voice brought Nero's head up, meeting the older man's gaze, "perhaps we can get back to the movie?"

Nero exchanged a rueful smile with the half devil, the latter shaking his head.

"Alright, alright," Dante chuckled, getting to his feet. "It looks like you guys win this time around."

He extended a hand to Nero, the younger man taking it gratefully, and rising to his own feet.

_Yes, they won this time…but next time will be different._

Noticing the playful glint in the half devil's eyes, Nero chuckled; evidently, he was thinking along the same lines.

The duo made their way over toward the sitting area, neither one paying any mind to the continued snickering behind them.

_They can laugh all they want,_ Nero settled down onto the couch, sharing another conspiratorial grin with the elder hunter, _it will just make our revenge that much sweeter…_

* * *

_**Dante**_

Dante leaned back against the couch cushions, a contented sigh escaping his lips. Trish and Lady sat to his left, with Nero and Kyrie to his right, the red-head curled up against the younger hunter. Patty sat on the floor by Dante's feet, a habit she had gotten into a few years or so ago that he'd long since stopped trying to understand.

_It's probably a teenager thing._ He mused. Not that he minded; besides, there wasn't exactly anywhere else for the adolescent girl to sit.

Glancing toward the armchair, the half devil grinned; Morrison had nodded off shortly after the group had returned to watching the movie, the older man snoring softly with his head tilted back against the headrest.

The devil hunter thought back over the events of the day with a smile; he still didn't quite understand what was going on, but it seemed to him that he'd spent a lot of time snapping everyone out of thoughtful dazes this evening.

_Really, what could they be thinking? _He wondered.

He mentally shrugged, and returned his attention to the television set, wrapping an arm around Trish as she cuddled up to him. Casting one last look at the 'family' he'd built up over the years, the half devil smiled.

_Oh well, I guess I'll never know._

**~Fin~**


End file.
